Texas Revolution
1835-1836
Cornell Style
(there are 29 slides – Last year this was 50+ slides….
SO NO COMPLAINING
Challenge 12-4
Comparing the American and Texas Revolutions
Similarities
• Both were revolts against harsh rulers •
who were far away.
• Both the American colonies and Texas •
had developed on their own, with little•
involvement from the ruling country.
• Both began when rulers enforced laws
they had not enforced before.
•
• In both, the goals changed as time
passed.
• In both, rebels had to defeat large
armies of trained soldiers.
Differences
The Texas Revolution lasted only 7
months, rather than 6 years.
The Texas Revolution had fewer battles.
Britain and the American colonies had
the same culture. Mexico and the
Texans had different cultures.
American colonists fought to keep their
rights. Texans fought to win rights they
did not have.
How was the Texas Revolution similar to the American Revolution?
A. Texas and British colonist had the same culture as the rulers they fought against
B. Texas and British colonists both wanted more self-government
C. Texas and British colonist fought for the same rights as citizens of the countries
that governed them
D. Both revolutions took six years for the patriots to win
Mexican Constitution
of 1824
• The document under
which
TX Colonists
Declared Mexico
a federation
of free and sovereign states.
were invited to
emigrate to MX, and
was the one they
swore to defend.
Causes Leading to Revolution
•
•
•
•
Fredonian Rebellion
Law of April 6, 1830
Anahuac Affair and Turtle Bayou Resolution
Stephen F. Austin arrested for inciting
rebellion
1835
President Antonio López de Santa Anna
declared that Mexico was not ready for
democracy and took away the 1824
Constitution. He then centralized national
power under himself and declared himself
President for life (dictator)
Battle of Gonzales
• October 2, 1835
• The 1st shots of the revolution are fired.
• Mexican soldiers were sent to Gonzales to
take a cannon that was supposed to scare
away Indian attacks. Texans did not let the
soldiers into town and fired on them,
beginning the TX revolution.
Battle of Goliad
• October 9, 1835
• Texas settlers attack Mexican soldiers at
Presidio La Bahia near Goliad. The Texans win
the battle and force the soldiers to leave,
allowing the Texans to take thousands of $’s
worth of food and supplies.
Battle of Conception
• October 28, 1835
• In the first major armed battle of Texas's war
for independence, the Texas army marches in
San Antonio to fight the Mexican soldiers. The
Texans are outnumbered 5 to 1, but they are
correct about their belief that the Mexican
Army is not well-trained and not ready to
fight.
• Texans win
Siege of Bexar
• December 11, 1835
• Still outnumbered 2 to 1, the Texas army attacks
Mexican troops at Bexar, today known as San
Antonio. After this battle, most of the Texas army
goes home because now Texans control almost all
of Texas.
• Texans wins the Siege of Bexar and capture San
Antonio.
• General Cos (Santa Anna’s brother-in-law) and his
army are sent back to Mexico City
Areas Controlled by Mexico and Texas, January 1836
Guess who is
not a happy
camper:
President
Santa Anna 
President Santa Anna and 6,000
Mexican soldiers marched north
towards Texas, bent on revenge
Alamo
• The Alamo was built as a
mission, not a fort. So the
Texans had to
work hard to build higher and
thicker walls, add cannons,
and add high fences made of
stakes
• The Alamo needed about 1,000 soldiers to
properly defend it, but would never have more
than 200 defenders
• Santa Anna ordered the
surrender of the Alamo and
the defenders, but the Texans
replied with a canon shot fired
back at him.
• In response, Santa Anna raised a
red flag that told the Texans that he
would take no prisoners and leave
no survivors.
• On February 24, 1836 Santa Anna ordered his
forces to begin firing on the Alamo.
• That day William Travis
wrote a famous letter
“To the People of Texas
and All Americans” to
plea for help.
• Jim Bowie had been ill, and collapsed on the
second day of Santa Anna’s siege. Travis then
took over full command of the Alamo.
• March 6, 1836 - Texans lose the Battle of the
Alamo.
• After a 13-day attack on the Alamo Mission near
San Antonio, Mexican soldiers kill all 189 Texans
trying to defend the Alamo. The cruelty of the
soldiers leads many Texans and Americans to join
the Texas army to fight Mexico.
The Fall of the Alamo
What: A fierce battle
that the Mexicans won
but that gave Texan
leaders the time to
declare the
independence of Texas
Who: 189 Texans versus
thousands of Mexican
soldiers
Where: At an old
Spanish mission in San
Antonio
When: February 23March 6, 1836
All about
the
Alamo
Why: Texans – to stop
Santa Anna’s advance;
Mexicans – to punish
the Texas rebels and
make an example of the
Alamo’s defenders
Convention of 1836
• March 2, 1836
• At the Convention of 1836, Texans write a
declaration of independence and the
Constitution of the Republic of Texas. Sam
Houston is named the commander of the
Texas military.
• The vote for independence was unanimous
• Although two of the
signers of the declaration
were Tejano, many
Tejanos opposed
the declaration
Today Texans celebrate Texas Independence Day
March 2, 1836
Sam Houston*****
During the convention, the
delegates learned of the siege of
the Alamo and wanted to leave to
go to the aid of the Alamo
defenders.
Sam Houston convinced the
delegates to stay because
Texas needed a constitution
to form a legitimate
government.
Goliad Massacre
• March 27, 1836
• After James Fannin and 400 Texans surrender
at the Battle of Goliad, Mexican General Santa
Anna orders them executed. The killings make
outraged Texans rally even more for their
independence.
Runaway Scrape
Sam Houston left the convention
and headed for San Antonio.
In Gonzales , he heard rumors of
the fall of the Alamo and sent
scouts led by “Deaf” Smith to find
out what happened.
Deaf Smith
The scouts found the Alamo survivors (only the
women and children were spared) and brought
them back to Gonzales where they told the story
of the Alamo.
• Word came that Santa Anna was
approaching Gonzales, so Houston
ordered Gonzales burned and took his
army east.
• As the Texas army moved east, citizens
also left their homes to escape Santa
Anna.
• Sam Houston used the retreat to gain time to
train his army, as well as to tire out the larger
Mexican force
chasing them.
On April 21, 1836 Houston ordered his army to
attack the exhausted Mexican soldiers as they
took their afternoon siestas.
words
Battle of San Jacinto
• April 21, 1836
• Led by Sam Houston, the Texas army defeats
the troops of Santa Anna and his men while
they are taking a siesta at the Battle of Jacinto.
• Taken by surprise, 630 Mexican soldiers were
killed and 730 captured in 18 minutes of fighting
• The next day, Santa Anna was captured while
hiding in the nearby marshes.
• Texas Independence was secured.
Treaties of Velasco
• May 14, 1836
• Officially giving Texas its independence.
• The Republic of Texas and General Santa Anna
sign the Velasco Treaties, which ended the
revolution. However, the Mexican gov’t says
that Santa Anna did not have the right to sign
the treaties and never agreed to the treaties.
President of Texas
• October 22, 1836
• Sam Houston is named President of the
Republic of Texas.
• Virginia native Sam Houston becomes the first
president of Texas after it wins its
independence from Mexico. He will also be
the third president and later becomes the
governor of Texas when it joins the United
States.