Gone to !!

1. Analyze the Gone to Texas Cartoon. Have students list their observations and then draw an inference as to what may be going on in the image. Share out as a class. You will soon uncover what the GTT stands for. Gone to Texas. The questions is why are people coming to Texas? What are their requirements? What benefits do they have for coming to Texas? What effect will this have on Mexican Texas? (5-10 min)

2. Assign paragraphs 1, 2, & 3 for the jigsaw reading (click here for more information on how to implement the jigsaw strategy). Some groups will have repeating numbers. Make sure you introduce the new vocabulary terms during this step (Anglo-American, land grant, , etc.) Ask students to share their predictions about the reading as a table talk then as a whole class (incorporate a Kagan strategy to select students.) (10 min.)

3. Provide students 10-15 minutes to read on their assigned paragraph and to create their summary and visual representations. (10-15 min.)

4. Break students up into expert groups. During this time they should share their summaries and come to a consensus on their summaries and how they plan to teach the material to their home groups. After students have shared with expert groups, have them return to their home groups to share their information. (5 min.)

4. Allow students to share their information with their home group. As students are learning about the other paragraphs, they will complete their graphic organizer on the new information. (If time permits, they can also create a visual representation for the new information they have learned. (10 min.)

5. Close the lesson by having students share out what they have learned. Utilize a table talk to have students discuss the following questions: How did attempt to colonize Texas? What were the requirements? Why did Anglo- Americans come to Texas? Do you think the Anglos will follow the Mexicans rules and requirements? Students will answer the quick write at the bottom of their paper. (5 min.)

Texas History: G. Garcia Lesson for Anglo Colonization

What do you see in this image?

Based on your observations, what do you think has happened? Gone to Texas!!

Anglo-American (a person from the U.S. of English background) colonization in Texas took place between 1821 and 1835. During this time, Mexico colonized Texas using the empresario system. Mexico required Anglo-Americans from the U.S. to become Catholic, hardworking people, and willing to become Mexican citizens in exchange for generous land grants. Mexico expected the new settlers from the U.S. to increase economic development and help Mexican land discourage the aggressive Native grants given to Americans. .

Anglo-Americans were attracted to Mexican Texas because of inexpensive land. In the , new land cost $1.25 an acre for a minimum of 80 acres, which would cost a total of $100. That money had to be paid the day you bought the land. In Mexican Texas, new land cost 4 cents an acre and settlers could get up to 4,605 acres, which would cost a total of $184 which could be paid over six years. Another reason that Anglo-American settlers moved to Mexican Texas was the thought that the United States would eventually buy eastern Texas from Mexico. A third attraction was that Mexico and the United States had no agreements allowing creditors to collect debts or to return fugitives. Therefore, Texas was safe for the many that faced seizure of their property and even debtors' prison. Men loaded their families and belongings into wagons and headed for Mexican Texas leaving a G.T.T. (Gone to Texas) note for the debt collectors. Creditors could not follow them to Mexican Texas so Anglo settlers could take the opportunity to start over. Land Grants - Land given to an empresario from the Mexican government to settle families. Empresario – a person who makes arrangements to bring settlers (people) to a colony.

Gone to Texas Guided Reading Questions

Use these guided questions to help write your summary in your graphic organizer

Paragraph 1.) What system did Mexico use to colonize Texas?

What requirements did Anglo-Americans have to meet before being allowed into Texas?

What did the Mexicans expect the Anglo settlers to do once in Mexico?

Paragraph 2.) What attracted Anglo-Americans to Texas?

Contrast the cost of land in the U.S. to the cost of land in Texas. (How much was an acre in the U.S.? How much was an acre in Texas?

Which country had the better deal?

Paragraph 3.) What are two reasons that attracted Anglo-Americans to Mexican Texas?

What did G.T.T. stand for?

What could Anglos setters take the opportunity to do once in Texas?

Gone to Texas!

Summary Visual Representation (Picture)

Paragraph 1:

Paragraph 2:

Paragraph 3:

Quick Write: How did the Mexican government attempt to colonize Texas and what did Anglos have to do in order to be allowed in to Mexican Texas? Why did Anglo-Americans come to Texas? Do you think the Anglos will follow the Mexicans rules and requirements?