Texas Surveyors Practice Exam

How much land was granted to an empresario for bringing in 100 families?

1. 10 leagues of land

2. 5 leagues and 5 labors

3. 20 leagues of land

4. 1 league of land

The correct answer is: 5 leagues and 5 labors

In the context of Texas history, specifically regarding the empresarios who were instrumental in settling Texas during the early 19th century, a clear understanding of land grant policies is essential. The correct amount of land granted to an empresario for bringing in 100 families was 5 leagues and 5 labors. This allocation reflects the incentive structure established by the Mexican government to encourage settlement. Each league is equivalent to approximately 4,428.4 acres, and a labor is a subdivision of land that is roughly one-third of a league, translating to about 1,476 acres. Therefore, the total land granted would include a considerable acreage, emphasizing the importance of each family that the empresario successfully brought into the region. This provision specifically acknowledges the vital role that these empresarios played in populating and developing Texas during a period when it was crucial for the region’s growth and stability. The other options, while they represent other quantities of land potentially known in historical contexts, do not align with the established agreements that typically defined the land grants associated with the settlement of families by empresarios.