Why did thousands of Americans apply for grants in Austin's Colony?

• A. Land was expensive.
• B. Land was so cheap.
• C. It was near the coast.
• D. It offered free seeds and tools.

Answer: (B)

The concept being tested is why people rushed to take advantage of land grants in early Texas—the lure of affordable land and the chance to own a farm. Austin's Colony offered land to settlers as part of a carefully sponsored plan by the Mexican government to populate the frontier. Because land could be acquired at a low cost through these grants, thousands of Americans saw a real opportunity to own property, farm, and improve their fortunes, which drew them to migrate there.

That’s why the best answer is that land was cheap. The other ideas don’t fit the historical push: the colony wasn’t driven by high land prices, it wasn’t located primarily along the coast, and the grants weren’t centered on free seeds and tools as the main incentive.