CHAPTER #14
Manifest Destiny
SECTION #2-3
Texas Independence
CHAPTER #14
Manifest Destiny
SECTION #2
Texas Independence
Page 1
Settling Texas
-In1820, Texas included a few Americans and
about 3,000 Tejanos
-Natives occupied much of the land
-In order to keep control of Texas, Spaniards
offered large tracts of land to empresarios
who promised to recruit more settlers
-Stephen Austin’s settlement flourished
-After independence from Spain, Mexico
offered tracts of land to American settlers
who promised to:
1. Become Mexican citizens
2. Obey Mexico’s Laws
3. Accept Roman Catholicism
CHAPTER #14
Manifest Destiny
SECTION #2
Texas Independence
Page 2
Unrest in Texas
-Many Americans (Anglos) began coming to
Texas without permission
-Many growers protested the Mexican ban on
slavery as well as their inability to partake
in government as they had in the U.S.
-By 1830, five times as many Anglos lived in
Texas as did Tejanos
-In 1830, Mexico banned Anglo immigrants
in Texas, building five forts to enforce it
-Anglos were furious, some talked of
separation, including Stephen Austin
-Santa Anna, the new Mexican dictator
refused to allow Mexico to be split
CHAPTER #14
Manifest Destiny
SECTION #2
Texas Independence
Page 3
“Remember the Alamo”
-With growing strife in Texas, Santa Anna
sent troop to take a cannon at Gonzales
-When they failed to take the cannon, Santa
Anna sent troops to occupy San Antonio
-Mexican troops were routed by Texas
volunteers—the Texans took cover in and
defended an old mission called the Alamo
-Mexicans shelled the mission for 12 days
-Finally Santa Anna charged the Alamo
-Mexican troops swarmed the mission,
fighting hand-to-hand, they eventually
overran the Texans
-Only women and children survived
CHAPTER #14
Manifest Destiny
SECTION #2
Texas Independence
Page 4
War with Mexico
-Sam Houston, general of the Texans,
commanded forts be abandoned to avoid
further massacres
-Mexican troops captured fleeing Texas
troops outside the fort at Goliad
-Most (~350) were killed by firing squad
-Upon hearing about the Goliad massacre,
about 1,400 Texans volunteered for
Houston’s army, swelling his ranks
-Organizing a surprise attack of Santa Anna’s
army, Houston charged on sleeping troops
-The Texans killed 600 Mexican troops,
losing only 9 themselves at the battle of
San Jacinto
CHAPTER #14
The Republic of Texas
Manifest Destiny
SECTION #2
Texas Independence
Page 5
-After capturing Santa Anna, Texans forced
him to sign a peace treaty recognizing
Texas as an independent nation