Porter Broyles’s Reviews > South to Freedom: Runaway Slaves to Mexico and the Road to the Civil War > Status Update

Very easy read w/ lots of info---2 things that often don't go together.

Met our 1st actual slaves. So far the book has been about the politics and balancing act Mexico takes in regards to Tejas and the USA.

Now the first slave is a Louisianna escapee who with the help of a guy escapes to Tejas where she becomes an indentured servant. Her slave owner finds out and want her back---international incident brewing.

The years of 1820-30 were very tumultuous years in Mexico---almost every two years the Gov changed.

C y Tejas banned slavery in 1827, then exempted Tejas

Tejas fought to protect slavery, but in 1828--Vicente Guerrero took control of the country and freed all slaves. His edict failed to gain root.

Mexico treaty with Haiti to invade Cuba prevented 2nd invasion by Spain in 1830

What a great introduction into Mexican politics surrounding slavery and Stephen F Austin.

Other books talk about it in the abstract but this one delves into it.

1- Mexico freed the slaves to show their revolution was greater than US
2- this stifled interest in migrating to Mexico as
3- 90% of immigrants came from slave states
4- Tejas agreed to be a state rather than territory to avoid Mexico City writing it's laws

This is so far an easy to read book---with lots of surprising info.

1. Mexican money was the good standard in the new world
2. 3-5k slaves escaped to Texas
3. Slaves in Mexico were protected as people. You couldn't sell families apart or force marriage/divorce
4. 50000 hours to separate 100l b cotton dropped to 300