Transcript The Texas Revolution - Rochester Community Schools

The Texas Revolution
Ch. 13 sec. 2
Spanish Texas
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Spanish land called Tejas bordered the US territory
of Louisiana
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land was rich and desirable
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forests in the east
rich soil
grassy plains for grazing animals
home to the Plains and Pueblo Native Americans
belonged to Spain but had few Spanish settlers
Spanish Texas

Spanish officials wanted more settlers to move to
Texas to defend against Native Americans and
Americans who illegally sneaked into Texas
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–
offered huge tracts of land to empresarios but were unable
to attract Spanish settlers
Moses Austin asked for permission to start a colony in
Texas
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Spain gave him a large section of land
Austin agreed settlers would follow Spanish laws
Mexican Independence

1821 Mexico gained independence from
Spain
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Texas now belonged to Mexico
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Spanish land grant to Austin was worthless
Stephen Austin went to Mexico city to get permission to
settle
–
took one year to reach an agreement
– settlers must become Mexican citizens and members of
the Roman Catholic Church
Austin’s Colony

Austin attracted 297 families to go to Texas – ( the
“Old Three Hundred”)
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demanded household heads were moral, worked hard, and
did not drink
very law-abiding and safe community
Austin’s success encouraged more land speculators
and settlers from the United States to go to Texas
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some looking for new life, some to get rich, others to escape
the law
by 1830 Americans outnumbered Tejanos 6 to 1
Rising Tensions
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as more Americans settled in Texas tensions
between Americans and Tejanos increased
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used to governing themselves, Americans resented
following Mexican laws
most Americans did not speak Spanish, all official
documents were written in Spanish
slave owners were upset when Mexico outlawed slavery in
1829
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Austin persuaded Mexico to allow them to keep their slaves
Tejanos thought the Americans believed they were superior
and deserved special privileges
angry that Americans were unwilling to adapt to Mexican
laws
Rising Tensions
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Mexican government began to worry
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sent an official to investigate
official warned that Texas could lead to a
revolution
government cracked down on Texas
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closed state to further American immigration
required Texans to pay taxes for the first time
sent troops to Texas to enforce the laws
Texans Revolt Against Mexico
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Texans were angry about the crackdown and some
even talked of breaking away from Mexico
Austin went to Mexico City with a petition of reforms
supported by Americans and Tejanos
asked for Texas to be a self governing state within
Mexico
initially Santa Anna the Mexican president agreed to
most reforms
Texans Revolt Against Mexico
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Santa Anna then learned of a letter written by
Austin saying if the changed weren’t made
he’d support rebellion
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jailed Austin
sent more troops to Texas to prevent a rebellion
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Sept. 1835 failed to take the cannon in the town of
Gonzales
months later Texans drove Mexican troops out of
mission in San Antonio called the Alamo
Santa Anna sent 6,000 troops to Texas
Texans Revolt Against Mexico
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hardly any army
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420 men at Goliad a fort in south Texas
183 volunteers at the Alamo
Fight for the Alamo
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Alamo volunteers included some famous
people
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William Travis headed the force
Davy Crocket
Jim Bowie
Juan Seguin led a band of 25 Tejanos in support
of the revolt
The Alamo
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Feb 23, 1836 Santa Anna’s troops surrounded San Antonio and
began a siege of the Alamo the next
day
Alamo’s defenders held off attack for 12 days
on day 13, Santa Anna ordered 1,800 men to storm the Alamo
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all but five of the men were killed (178 of the 183 defenders)–
the survivors were executed
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Texans fired back until they ran out of ammunition
a few women and children were not killed and were told to tell the
story to discourage more rebellion
Texans were shocked by the slaughter at the Alamo
Texas Declares Independence
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March 1-2 1836 a meeting was called to
determine what to do about the troops
decision is made to declare Texas a free and
independent republic
Goliad
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with Santa Anna on the attack Texans fled eastward
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Sam Houston ordered the troops at Goliad to retreat
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the troops were captured by Mexican forces
300 Texans were executed
Texans became angry about the massacre at Goliad
Houston’s army doubled to 800 as angry Tejanos,
American settlers, and volunteers from the US joined
his army
Victory at San Jacinto – Texas Gains
Independence
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In April 21, 1836 Santa Anna caught up with
Houston near the San Jacinto River
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used a sneak attack to get near the Mexican army
raced into Santa Anna’s camp screaming
“Remember Goliad!” “Remember the Alamo!”
in 18 minutes the Texans killed more than half of
the Mexican army
Santa Anna was forced to sign a treaty giving
Texas its independence
Lone Star Republic
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Texans declared themselves the Lone Star
Republic and proclaimed themselves an
independent nation
elected Sam Houston president
Lone Star Republic
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many Texans wanted to become part of the
United States
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in 1836 the Texas government asked Congress to
annex Texas to the Union
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northerners objected that it was an expansion of slavery
– would unbalance Congress
people feared annexing Texas would lead to a war with
Mexico
Congress voted against annexation
Texas remained independent for ten years