TX History Ch 9.1

During the 1820s-1830s, the population of Texas surged as settlers arrived from Europe, Mexico, and the United States. Most early settlers were farmers from the US, drawn by cheap land and easy payment terms. Many US settlers were escaping debts or legal troubles. By 1834, the population was estimated at 21,000, with 15,000 from the US of mostly English, Irish, or Scottish descent. Settlers traveled to Texas by wagon train, horseback, walking, water, or flatboat, and usually settled along rivers due to fertile soil and mild climate.