Stephen F. Austin went to Texas after his father Moses Austin's death to carry out plans to settle Texas. He received permission from Mexican authorities to establish an American colony in Texas. Austin offered attractive land grants and terms to attract settlers, allowing people to own large tracts of land in exchange for small fees. He established strict guidelines requiring settlers to become Mexican citizens and convert to Catholicism. The first group of settlers arrived in Texas in 1821 on Austin's ship the Lively, bringing supplies to establish the colony.

1. Chapter 8: Americans Settle in Texas Section 2: Stephen F. Austin in Texas