Texas Declaration of Independence
Translating a Primary Source
Today, you will…..
• examine the Texas Declaration of
Independence.
• restate important parts of it into more
modern wording
• relate the Declaration to events we have
studied in Texas History
• create a summarized version of the
Declaration.
Turn to page _____ in your spirals
Copy the title below onto the first line on your page.
Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Texas
Declaration of Independence of
the Republic of Texas
All UNANIMOUS
of us agree
DECLARATION
OFare
INDEPENDENCE
that we
free.
BY THE representatives
Voted on by the elected
DELEGATES OF THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS,
of Texas settlers
at our meeting
IN GENERAL
at Washington
CONVENTION,
on March 2, 1836.
AT THE TOWN OF WASHINGTON,
ON THE SECOND DAY OF MARCH, 1836
As the original words are “translated” copy the new wording into your spiral.
When a government has ceased to protect the lives,
liberty and property of the people from whom its
legitimate powers are derived … and …, becomes an
instrument in the hands of evil rulers for their
oppression;
1. Where does government get its powers?
Who is the evil ruler mentioned above that Texans might be thinking of?
What has happened to government in this case?
Skip a space on your spiral page and add the next information.
1. Government gets its powers from______________________
Santa Anna is using his government to _______________
Texas.
When the Federal Republican Constitution of their country,
which they have sworn to support, no longer exists, and the
whole nature of their government has been forcibly
changed without their consent, from a restricted federative
republic, composed of sovereign states, to a consolidated
central military despotism.
2. What kind of government did Federalists want?
What kind of government did Centralists want?
What sort of government did Texans favor?
Skip a space, copy and complete….
2. Texans favored a government that shared power between
the ______________ and ___________________ governments.
When long after the spirit of the Constitution has departed,
moderation is …removed, and … the constitution
discontinued; and … their petitions and … the agents who
bear them are thrown into dungeons; and mercenary
armies sent forth to force a new government upon them at
the point of the bayonet.
3. What has happened to the Constitution?
Who was the agent that went to Mexico City to ask or petition for a
state government in Texas?
(Hint: He was put in jail after he sent a letter saying that Texas should
go ahead and form a separate state government.
He was also the most successful empresario. )
Skip a space, copy and complete….
3. The Constitution has been________________ and
_______________________ has been thrown in jail.
The Mexican government, by its colonization laws, invited and induced
the Anglo-American population of Texas to colonize its wilderness
under the pledged faith of a written constitution, that they should
continue to enjoy that constitutional liberty and republican government
to which they had been habituated in the land of their birth, the United
States of America.
4. Who invited Americans to come to Texas? What was promised?
Why did Americans coming to Texas accept the Mexican Constitution?
Skip a space, copy and complete….
4. The _______ Government invited Americans to ________.
Settlers expected to live under a constitution that was similar to the
one in the ________________________.
Now, it is your turn…
Each group will be given a portion of the
Texas Declaration of Independence.
As a group, you will
1. Read and study the original words.
2. Discuss the thought questions to follow the quote.
3. Rewrite the quote in simpler language*
4. Select a group member to present results to the class.
*Writing must be neat and legible!
Spelling should be correct.
Practice on scratch paper first.
We, therefore, the delegates… of the people of Texas, in solemn
convention assembled, appealing to a candid world for the
necessities of our condition, do hereby resolve and DECLARE that
our political connection with the Mexican nation has forever
ended; and that the people of Texas do now constitute a FREE,
SOVEREIGN and INDEPENDENT RE-PUBLIC, and are fully
invested with all the rights and attributes which properly belong to
the independent nations; and, conscious of the rectitude of our
intentions, we fearlessly and confidently commit the issue to the
decision of the Supreme Arbiter of the destinies of nations.
To end the document, Texans say again what they are declaring.
Say it in your own words.
The people of Texas declare _________________