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The Alamo
Analysis of two Armies
The commanders
Why the Alamo?
The Siege of the Alamo
The Mexican Army
► The
infantry is made
up of mostly
conscripts. Conscripts
are people forced to
become soldiers
► Their weapons are old
and most officers are
inexperienced
► They are not well
trained to fight
The Texian Army
► Mostly
made up of
volunteers fighting for a
reason
► Texians are not disciplined
but they have a strong
sense of individualism
► Choose their commanders
and are deadly shots
► Most of Texan army are
from the South?
Santa Anna
► Commander
of Mexican
army who is experienced
in fighting rebellions
► Mean because it keeps
him in power in Mexico
► He wants to end the
Texas revolt because he
wants to show he is in
charge in Mexico
William B.Travis
►
►
►
Commander of Texans
army while James Bowie
commands Texas
volunteers
He is ambitious, has a
sense of honor and is
seeking a place in history
Mistakenly believes that he
can hold off army because
of walls and cannons
Santa Anna’s Advance
► The
Mexican army will
march several
hundred miles and
endure a Northern
► Commanche’s will kill
Mexican soldiers who
fall behind on march
► Solderas are camp
followers who assist
Mexican soldiers
Gregorio Esparza
►
►
►
San Antonio resident who
fought at the Battle of San
Antonio, 1835
Led a cannon crew at the
Alamo, 1836 and was
killed
Brothers requested
permission to bury their
brother and provide a
Christian burial
Why the Alamo?
► Mexican
reasoning:
Santa Ann needs a
victory to help his
image in Mexico
It is located in central
Texas making it a
resting spot for
Mexican army and
supplies.
San Antonio is largest
city in Texas.
► Texians
reasoning:
Alamos sits on an
important road
Travis and Bowie felt
that they could hold
the Alamo and felt
safe there
Alamo could slow
down the Mexican
army because it is in
the middle of Texas
The Siege of the Alamo
The siege begins on
February 26, 1836
► Texans are outnumbered 8
to 1
► It is a fortified area which
covers three acres and has
several cannons
► Texans believe that
reinforcements will come,
also have racists beliefs that
can defeat large force
►
The Siege of the Alamo
► Cannons
are fired
everyday at the Alamo
walls
► The Mexican army
surrounds the Alamo
► Line in the sand never
happened but Travis
did make a short
speech
Mexican Artillery pound the
Alamo walls daily.
The Battle of the Alamo:
Phase One
► The
assault begins on
March 6, around 5:00
► Mexican infantry
attacks the Alamo
from three sides
► Brave Mexican infantry
advance under cannon
fire which bunches
them towards the
North Wall
The Battle of the Alamo:
Phase Two
► Mexican
infantry
breaches North wall
► 80 Texans make an
attempt to escape by
running out of Alamo
► The Mexican cavalry
will catch them and
kill all the escaping
Texans
The North Wall is breached!
The Battle of the Alamo:
Phase Three
► Mexican
infantry inside
the Alamo turn
cannons on the
buildings
► Crockett and several
make last ditch effort
at mission but are
captured
► The fighting is vicious
hand to hand combat
The Aftermath
► All
Alamo defenders are
killed but family members
are spared
► Crockett and 5 survivors
are ordered hacked to
death by Santa Anna
► The Alamo will give the
Texian army determination
to fight to beat Mexico
So what does this all mean?
► Compare
and contrast the strengths and
weaknesses of the Mexican and Texian
armies?
► Compare and contrast Santa Anna and
William B. Travis as leaders.
► Why did the Texians feel the need to stay and
fight at the Alamo?
► Pretend that you are an eyewitness to the
siege of the Alamo. Write a report about the
battle to inform the people of Texas as to
what you have seen.