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Moses ​Austin, ​a ​successful ​Connecticut ​merchant ​had​ caught ​gold ​fever, ​liquidated ​his ​ resources ​and ​headed ​to ​modern ​day​ Texas ​to ​petition ​the ​Spanish ​ government ​to ​allow ​him ​to ​mine​ for ​gold ​there. ​Once ​he ​got​ the ​go-ahead, ​​he ​set ​up ​a gold ​mining ​process ​and ​was ​ initially ​successful. ​However, ​the ​end​ of ​the ​War ​of ​1812 ​caused ​a ​ temporary ​collapse ​of ​the ​lead ​ market ​and ​he ​went ​bankrupt. ​He ​ then ​decided ​to ​recoup ​his ​losses ​ by ​setting ​up ​a ​colony ​of ​300 ​ Anglo-American ​families ​in ​Texas, ​using ​ his ​successful ​previous ​negotiating ​ techniques ​with ​the ​Spanish ​this ​ time ​as ​well. ​Though ​initially​ rejected, ​he ​persisted ​and ​eventually ​ came ​away ​with ​a ​land ​grant ​ from ​Spain ​that ​allowing ​him ​to ​ start ​the ​settlement. ​

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10y ago

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