Final answer:
Stephen Austin leading settlers into Texas were initially expected to follow Mexican policies and laws, which disproves the belief that Austin thought settlers should follow U.S. policies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Stephen Austin believed settlers should follow U.S. policies while in Texas is False. Initially, when Mexico invited Americans to settle in Texas, the conditions included that settlers be of good moral character, follow Mexican laws, and be Roman Catholic. Stephen F. Austin led 300 families into Texas under these Mexican conditions. As the American population in Texas grew, they brought with them their own practices, including slavery, which conflicted with Mexican laws, especially after Mexican president Vicente Guerrero outlawed slavery in an attempt to weaken American influence. The Americans in Texas typically remained religiously distinct from the Roman Catholic Tejanos, and many were slave owners, further highlighting the differences between them and the original Mexican policies.