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Nuevo Santander was the Spanish province designated in 1746,
compromising Tamaulipas and the part of Texas south of the
River Nueces. It was founded by Jose de Escandón and was
the last part of the northeastern Mexico to be conquered and
effectively occupied. The colony was developed to
control hostile indians in the coastal jungle and adjacent The region received little official attention from Mexico with officials barely venturing beyond the Rio Grande. Manuel de Escandón son of Jose, suggested separating the area north of the Rio Grande to enable maritime commerce serving the northern provinces of New Spain. This would bring new settlers tot he region, from a link between Nuevo Santander and Texas and provide an alternative to the long overland trail from Mexico. This far sighted idea was stalled by the death of the Viceroy. Nevertheless, Nuevo Santander became a frontier ranching province more opulent than the neighboring province of Texas. Upon the annexation of Texas in 1848, however, the Mexican inhabitants of the "Nueces Strip" found themselves disenfranchised, living in occupied territory, and subject to a government and customs they did not readily understand. Today the region reflects its history in its primarily Mexican-American population and emphasis on ranching. The port of Brownsville, the border and NAFTA have to some extent realized the dreams of Manuel de Escandón and have allowed the survival of the distinctive culture of the area. Nevertheless both sides of the Rio Grande river remain relatively neglected and remote to both national governments, poorly served in both education and health. |
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mountains, described variously as "indios bárbaros, pagans and
apostates." These natives resisted Christianity and
civilization, afflicting shipwreck castaways as well as
settlers forcing travelers between Mexico and Texas to take a
route twice the shortest distance. From 1748 to 1755 two
dozen settlements were made within the colony, most of them
below the Rio Grande, but one north of the river was Laredo.