Final answer:
Southern slave-owning settlers were attracted to Texas by cheap land, the possibility to start over after economic hardship, and the opportunity to expand slavery and the cotton industry. The favorable land policies of the Mexican government and the settlers' cultural adherence and distrust of Mexican laws contributed to their influx and later conflicts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The influx of southern slave-owning settlers into Texas during the early to mid-19th century was influenced by economic opportunities, land policies, and ideological motivations. In the period between 1836 and 1846, the population of Texas nearly tripled due to American settlers drawn by the prospect of cheap land and the potential for a fresh start after the financial depression of 1837.
The Mexican government's willingness to attract immigrants led to policies favorable to settlers, such as offering land at a fraction of the cost in the United States, with additional incentives for bringing slaves.
Furthermore, Texas soil and climate were conducive to expanding slavery and cotton cultivation. Despite Mexico's abolition of slavery in 1829, many American settlers from the southern U.S. continued to hold slaves by classifying them as indentured servants, seeking to eventually transform Texas into a new U.S. slave state.
This, along with the settlers' adherence to their cultural practices and distrust of the Mexican government, sowed the seeds for future conflict and the desire for Texa's independence from Mexico.