What happened to Austin?

• A. He was executed
• B. He was arrested after the interception of a letter telling the Texans that our only recourse is war
• C. He fled to Mexico City
• D. He became governor

Answer: (B)

This question is about how escalating tensions between Texas settlers and the Mexican government played out in Stephen F. Austin’s career. Austin traveled to Mexico City in 1833 to petition for reforms, hoping to ease tensions. During that time, a letter from Texans indicating that war might be their only recourse was intercepted, and Mexican authorities arrested him, keeping him imprisoned in the capital for about a year. This arrest reflects the shift from diplomacy to growing conflict that contributed to the path toward Texas independence. He was not executed, did not flee to Mexico City, and did not become governor at that point.