Final answer:
Stephen F. Austin's settlement of Texas was driven by geography and the offering of land grants that appealed to American settlers, especially those invested in slavery. The growth in American population led to tensions with the Mexican government and eventual Texas independence. This settlement was part of the wider concept of Manifest Destiny and American expansion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Stephen F. Austin was a pivotal figure in American history, particularly in the context of the expansion into Texas during a time when geography and the desire for land played a significant role in colonial ambitions. After Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, it sought to populate the sparsely settled area of Coahuila y Texas, leading to colonization laws that attracted American settlers. Austin, carrying out his father's plans under the new Mexican authorities, led the first 300 families into Texas with advantageous land grants that did not require minimum purchases and allowed payments in installments. This was particularly appealing to slaveholding Americans from the southern United States who saw the fertile land as an opportunity to expand the institution of slavery and the cultivation of cotton.
The influx of American settlers, who would soon outnumber the Mexican residents, or Tejanos, led to increasing tensions, particularly when the Mexican President Vicente Guerrero outlawed slavery in an effort to reduce the Americans' influence. Despite this, the population of the Lone Star Republic nearly tripled between 1836 and 1846, with many settlers arriving after financial losses in the depression of 1837, seeking a new start in Texas, symbolized by the saying "GTT" or Gone to Texas. During this period of rapid growth, many Europeans, especially Germans, also migrated to Texas, adding to the diverse settler population.
Cultural and political differences between the American settlers and Mexican government escalated, as demonstrated by empresario Haden Edwards and subsequent events leading to the Texas Revolution and the formation of the Republic of Texas. The belief in American superiority and the desire to spread slavery were contributing factors to the rising conflict. This tumultuous development created a unique demographic and political environment that spurred the eventual annexation of Texas to the United States, intertwined with the broad national ideology of Manifest Destiny.