his article focuses on Texas between 1821 and 1836 in an effort to provide structure for an understanding of the exchange of land, power, culture, and social institutions that took place between the two frontiers during those critical years. Historians have amply recorded the battles and the Anglo-American's military, economic, and political domination of the Mexican lands. But this study attempts to document the reverse flow in this interchange. It represents an attempt to demonstrate the two-way cultural exchange within a limited scope. The purpose today is to describe the basic institutions of Tejano life and culture and then to document their transmission to the Anglo-American frontier. Thus, it should provide a foundation for the study of the early Mexican-American culture in Texas and its influence on Texans of all ethnic backgrounds. Indeed, if Texas has lived under six flags, then it is time to tell her story under the Mexican flag. I would like to acknowledge the guidance I received from David M. Vigness, Alwyn Barr, Nettie Lee Benson, and Joe B. Frantz. Tejanos had a significant and lasting influence in the history of Texas. They gave unique reality to the larger historical forces which were centering on Texas in the early nineteenth century. When international events brought changes to the political status of Texas, Tejanos provided a vital continuum. Their local laws gave meaning and movement to national legislation. Their culture, their lives, their problems, and their solutions contributed much to the historical character of Texas. For these reasons, Tejano society must be studied and understood within the context of the broader historical perspective of Texas.