On September 28, 1821, Mexico received independence from Spain. Spain had been forcing the local middle classes to share wealth with them and Mexico grew tired of it. After gaining independence, the Mexican government made contracts with empresarios, or land agents to sell land to Catholic families. Over the course of six years, the empresarios had to sell a certain number of land grants and was to receive 23,000 acres of land for every 100 families he settled. However, if he did not reach the goal, the contract was cancelled. There were countless empresarios during this time period, who both succeeded and failed to complete their contracts. One very well known empresario is Stephen Fuller Austin. Austin had hopes of completing