Texas and
Independence
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Clash of Cultures
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US claims after 1803 that Texas was part of
Louisiana Purchase
Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819- US gives up
claims to Texas to settle issue
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I. Land Grants
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A. Most living in Texas were Tejanos- 3000
Mexicans claiming Texas as home
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B. Empressarios given huge tracts of land
to encourage settlement
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1. Moses Austin -Missouri
business man given first grant
in 1821
2. Austin dies before he could
go but his son Stephen receives
permission
3. Stephen Austin leads the
"Old Three-hundred" to area of
Brazos and Colorado River -960
acres or more for each
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Between 1823-1825 Mexico passed 3
colonization laws
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a. low priced land and reduced taxes
1. must convert to Catholicism
2. Learn Spanish
3. obey Mexican law- which included no
slavery
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C. By 1830 Americans outnumbered all
others
1. Didn't follow Mexican law
2. US twice offers to buy Texas
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a. 1830 Mexico passes a decree to end
immigration
b. Encourages other immigration from other
parts of Mexico and Europe
c. Trade discouraged between US and
Texas by a tax on US goods
d. Tension mounts as a result
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D. General
Antonio Lopez de
Santa Anna
becomes
president in 1833
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Stephen Austin travels to negotiate
with Santa Anna
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a. Demands include end to limit on immigration
b. And make Texas a separate state
c. Santa Anna agrees to first but not second
d. Austin send message to Texas to prepare for
independence
e. The note is intercepted and Austin is arrested
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Santa Anna takes over as dictator
ending the constitutional government
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
Texas War of Independence was an
armed conflict between Mexico and settlers
in the Texas portion of the Mexican state of
Coahuila y tejas. The war lasted from
October 2, 1835, to April 21, 1836.
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Fight for Independence begins
1. First battle at Gonzales,
Texas October 1835 over a
cannon
 2. "Come and Take it"
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Two weeks before the scheduled
convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos
The Mexican commander at San Antonio
ordered the people of Gonzales to
surrender their brass cannon
The local officials refused
100 soldiers were sent to take it
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Conflict ignites
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The people buried the cannon in a peach
orchard until reinforcements could arrive
from the countryside
The Texan forces dug up the cannon and
mounted it on a wagon
A local blacksmith forged some ammunition
out of iron scraps and pieces of chain
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The fighting started early morning
After a brief struggle the Mexican
commander ordered his troops to withdraw
to SanAntonio
News of the clash quickly spread
Many who were indifferent about fighting
now were moved to join
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Free land offered to those who would aid
the Texans fight- those coming included
Davey Crockett and others from Tennessee
December 1835 San Antonio is liberated
from Mexicans
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Convention of 1836
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March 1st 1836- 59 delegates
Motion to write a Declaration of
Independence
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Declaration of Independence
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similar to that of the US- declaring grievances
against the Mexican government and violation of
rights making this necessary
Government of Santa Anna had violated the
liberties guaranteed under the Mexican
Constitution of 1824
Texans had been deprived of freedom of religion,
the right to trial by jury, the right to bear arms,
right to petition or request something from the
government
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It stated the government had failed to
provide education
Because the Mexican government had sent
a large army their protests were met by
force
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1. March 2, 1836 independence
declared
2. David Burnet selected as President
3. Lorenzo de Zavala vice President
4. Sam Houston selected commander of
the Army
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Santa Anna Marches on the mission at
San Antonio- the Alamo
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a. Defended by 180 soldiers commanded
by William Travis
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Jim Bowie
Too few soldiers to defend against a superior
force
Travis surprised on Feb 23rd by the advance wing
of Santa Anna’s Army just making it into the fort
Texan’s had a good defense, the walls were 2-3 ft
thick and 12 feet high with 21 cannons + 1 18
pounder
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Alamo
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Travis Declares “Victory or
death”
Letter was sent for help but
it would not come
Tennessee volunteers led
by David Crockett
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As the Mexican Army encircled the fort on
March 5th, 1836 Col Travis explained
staying meant certain death
Travis drew a line and gave all an
opportunity to leave safely
Only one chose to leave
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The defenders of the Alamo held the
garrison against heavy odds
Since Feb 23rd Mexican cannons had
bombarded the Alamo daily
@ 5:00 am March 6th the first assault took
place and was riddled by cannon fire.
The second assault met the same fate
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The third assault drove the Texans back
and the walls were stormed
Fighting inside the fort was fierce with rifles
giving way to knives and clubs
BY 8:00 THE ENTIRE GARRISON HAD
BEEN OVERRUN
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Although Santa Anna ordered all defenders to be
put to death several women and children did
escape
The Battle encouraged other Texans to come to
the defense of those who had so bravely fought
“Remember the Alamo” became the battlecry
http://www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?ID=13
9797
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Battle of Goliad- Slaughter of those
surrendering from Goliad
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March 27th the prisoners at Goliad (Col
Fannin and troops from Coleto creek )were
marched onto the prairie where they
thought they were on a work detail
Instead the soldiers opened fire and 350
Texans were executed
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The Texas cause seemed hopeless in
March as the Mexican Army moved further
North
Santa Anna ordered the burning of towns
and settlements
Sam Houston began to put his forces
together eventually growing to 1400 men
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Battle of San Jacinto

The Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21,
1836, in present-day Harris County, Texas, was
the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution.
Led by General Sam Houston, the Texian Army
engaged and defeated General Antonio López
de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that
lasted just eighteen minutes. About 630 of the
Mexican soldiers were killed and 730 captured,
while only nine Texans died
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Battle of San Jacinto
Sam Houston
The Texans had
attacked and the
Mexican army was
unprepared, some
sleeping and some
watering their
horses
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Battle for Independence
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The End
During the battle Santa Anna disappeared
and was pointed out as one of the prisoners dressed
as a common soldier
Houston demanded Texas from Santa Anna and
Mexico and the Treaty of Velasco was signed on
May 14,1836
He was granted his freedom in exchange for his
efforts to have Texas recognized as an
independent nation and the Rio Grande as the
border
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Victory for Houston
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Sam Houston elected president Sept 1836
1. representatives sent to Washington to
seek annexation but it was refused due to
balance of free and slave states
2. Question continues to arise as Texas
and Mexico continue to battle- Santa
Anna's treaty not recognized by Mexico
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3. Finally in 1844 Polk is elected President
and the Philosophy of Manifest Destiny
wins out with the addition on Texas as a
state in December of 1845
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