Transcript Texas Independence - Newburgh City School District

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Why did American settlers in Texas come into
conflict with Mexico?
How did the siege of the Alamo become a rallying
cry for Texans?
How did Texas become an independent nation?
What challenges did the Lone Star Republic face?
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In 1821, Mexico won
independence from
Spain.
Mexico wanted
settlers to settle an
area called Texas.
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They must:
Mexico asks for
American
settlers
Battle of San Jacinto
Texas declares
independence
(1836)
1845: Polk annexes
Texas
(Manifest Destiny)
Battle of
the Alamo
(1836)
WAR WITH
MEXICO
(1846-48)
1. Become Mexican
citizens
2. Become Catholics
3. Obey Mexican laws
Santa Anna
wants to
enforce laws
Mexico loses and
gives up land
(Mexican Cession)
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Texas claimed much more land than their original
colony. It claimed all land north of the Rio Grande
River.
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By the time Santa
Anna reached San
Antonio with 6,000
troops, about 150
Texans had taken up
positions in an old
Spanish mission called
the Alamo. The Texans
had little ammunition,
food, water, or
medicine.
On February 23, 1836,
Mexican troops began
a siege—enemy forces
try to capture a
position by
surrounding and
bombarding it.
The American commander, William
Travis, sent a message asking for
aid. He sent scouts to find
volunteers and food. About 40 men
joined the fighters in the Alamo.
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The siege continued for 12 days. Finally,
on March 6, 1836 a Mexican cannon
shattered the mission walls. Thousands
of Mexican soldiers poured over the
walls, shouting “Viva Santa Anna!”
About 180 Texans and almost 1,500
Mexicans lay dead.
Among the dead were Jim Bowie and
Davy Crockett,
The fall of the Alamo ignited cries for
revenge. “Remember the Alamo!”
became a rallying cry as Texans fought
for independence.
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A few weeks after the Alamo, Mexican troops killed
several hundred Texas soldiers after they had
surrendered at Goliad. This action made Texans
furious.
On April 21, 1836, Texans surprised Santa Anna and
his army near the San Jacinto River. In the Battle
of San Jacinto, the outnumbered Texans defeated
the Mexicans. The next day, the Texans captured
Santa Anna and forced him to sign a treaty
granting Texas independence.
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Texans nicknamed their new nation the Lone Star
Republic. They wrote a constitution modeled after
the United States Constitution. Sam Houston was
elected president of the Republic of Texas.
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The government of Mexico refused to accept the treaty Santa Anna had
signed. For Mexicans, Texas was still part of their country.
Texas was nearly bankrupt.
Comanches and other Indian groups threatened to attack Texan
communities.
To face these challenges, most Texans thought Texas should become part of
the United States. In the United States, people were divided over whether
to annex, or add on, Texas.
White southerners generally favored the idea.
1.
2.
Antislavery northerners opposed it.
Andrew Jackson thought annexation would cause war
with Mexico; therefore, Congress refused to annex Texas.
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One situation that led Texans to rebel against Mexico was that
a)
b)
c)
d)
Santa Anna had declared himself dictator of Mexico.
Mexico invited too many Americans to settle in Texas.
Mexico allowed German and Swiss settlers to move in.
they let the Alamo’s walls crumble from disuse.
When Texas became an independent nation, one problem it faced was that
a)
b)
c)
d)
it attracted new settlers.
most Texans opposed slavery.
it was nearly bankrupt.
there was no one to act as president.
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One situation that led Texans to rebel against Mexico was that
a)
b)
c)
d)
Santa Anna had declared himself dictator of Mexico.
Mexico invited too many Americans to settle in Texas.
Mexico allowed German and Swiss settlers to move in.
they let the Alamo’s walls crumble from disuse.
When Texas became an independent nation, one problem it faced was that
a)
b)
c)
d)
it attracted new settlers.
most Texans opposed slavery.
it was nearly bankrupt.
there was no one to act as president.
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