Why was the empresario system important to the Mexican government?
A) The Mexican government did not have the resources to manage Texas, but wished to cede the unused territory to the United States.
B) The Mexican government desired an alliance and offered Texas as an incentive to win the compliance of the United States.
C) The Mexican government wanted to collect taxes on the land in the Texas Territory and could only do so if the area was settled.
D) The Mexican government hoped to settle the unused territory of Texas legally to discourage Americans from taking the land.
I think the answer is D.
Yes, D.
To determine the correct answer, we need to understand the purpose and significance of the empresario system in the context of the Mexican government's goals. The empresario system was a program implemented by the Mexican government between 1821 and 1832 to encourage settlement in Texas. Under this system, the government authorized individuals or groups (empresarios) to bring settlers to Texas in exchange for land grants.
Now, let's analyze each option:
A) The Mexican government did not have the resources to manage Texas, but wished to cede the unused territory to the United States.
This option is incorrect as it suggests that the Mexican government wanted to give up control of Texas to the United States. However, the Mexican government's goal was to maintain control over Texas as part of its territory.
B) The Mexican government desired an alliance and offered Texas as an incentive to win the compliance of the United States.
This option is also incorrect. While the Mexican government may have desired alliances, there is no evidence to suggest that offering Texas as an incentive to the United States was part of their strategy.
C) The Mexican government wanted to collect taxes on the land in the Texas Territory and could only do so if the area was settled.
This option is a possible explanation. By encouraging settlement through the empresario system, the Mexican government could establish an organized system of taxing land in Texas. This would allow them to generate revenue and exert control over the region.
D) The Mexican government hoped to settle the unused territory of Texas legally to discourage Americans from taking the land.
This option is correct. The Mexican government, fearing American encroachment, aimed to establish a legal system of settlement through the empresario system. By providing land grants to legally authorized empresarios, the government sought to discourage unauthorized American settlers from taking control of Texas.
So, based on the explanations above, option D is the correct answer.