Need help with texas history -what were the illegal immigants called?
I really need help! I am doing a treasure hunt where our teacher gave us questions to answer. I have answered them all except one and I cannot find it at all. we cannot use wiki as a source. if you have an answer, please give me a link to look up as I have to provide a link. Heres the question:
"the original 300 were not the only immigrants into texas during this time, although they were the only Legal ones. Others had come from the United states over the years and settled in the eastern portion of the state. they would illegally cross both the sabine and red rivers. what are these illegal immigrants and smugglers called? the same term is used today only in a slightly different way. How and why was smuggling such a lucrative proposition in the eastern portion of the state?
please please help.
the only thing I could think of was illegal aliens, but I cant find a source that says its right.
9 answers
How and why was smuggling such a lucrative proposition in the eastern portion of the state?
1) Mexico abolished slavery in 1829. However, the new immigrants to East Texas saw good land that needed to be cleared and worked, cotton land. So trade in illegal slaves flourished.
2) Mexico wanted to control commerce, but had few troops committed. French traders operated a widespread illegal trade (furs, pelts, for many things) starting in the early 1800's, and this continued after the French were displaced. Basically, the Mexicans regulated as best they could with the very limited resources they committed, however, the immigrants from the US didn't want to bothered by Mexican authority.