that the Anglo Americans out numbered Mexican settlers by 10 to 1. He also re-

that the Anglo Americans out numbered Mexican settlers by 10 to 1. He also re- ported that the Anglo settlers were ignoring laws that prohibited trade with the U.S. His report made it very clear that Mexico must do something immediately in order to keep Texas. In 1829, Mexican officials abolished slavery in Mexico in hopes of slowing immigration.

The Law of April 6, 1830: In 1830, Mexican officials passed this law in effort to control Texas. 1. It outlawed immigration from the U.S. to Texas 2. It canceled all empresarial grants that had not been fulfilled. 3. Slaves could no longer be brought into Texas to work for the Anglos.

4. Custom duties were placed on all goods entering Texas. 5. It raised political questions within Mexico. Mexicans who believed in the states’ rights Constitution of 1836 felt that the national government had gone too far. The Law of April 6, 1830 marked a turning point between Texas colonists and the Mexican government.

Therefore, Mexican troops were sent into Texas to collect custom duties. Texans resented the presence of the troops and were very upset about having to pay new taxes. More conflicts between the Anglo American settlers and the Mexican government.

Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna: Santa Anna comes on the scene in 1832. He pretends he supported the Constitution of 1836 (states’ rights). Stephen F. Austin assures Santa Anna that the Texans supported him and his efforts to preserve the states’ rights constitution. Texans would soon realize that Santa Anna was a centralists(wanting all power centered on him).

Colonel John Davis Bradburn: An Anglo American adventurer, Bradburn supported the centralists in Mexico. Brad- burn is instructed to enforce Mexican laws that had been previously overlooked. Bradburn increases tensions: 1. He arrested Francisco Madero who was to issue land titles to settlers already living in Texas.

2. Bradburn dismantled Liberty (a new settlement that Madero had authorized). 3. Bradburn forced settlers to provide materials and labor for the con- struction of a new fort at Anahuac and used settler’s slaves to help with his public works programs. Tensions continued to grow!

Disturbance at Anahuac: In May 1832, William T. Logan came to Anahuac from the U.S. looking for 2 of his run-away slaves. Bradburn sheltered the slaves and refused to release them without seeing proof of ownership. Logan hires attorney William Barret Travis to help in getting his slaves back.

Travis tries to trick Bradburn into releasing the slaves, which turned into a nightmare for Travis. Bradburn has Travis arrested and put in jail. Not long before Texas settlers heard the news of Travis’s arrest. They traveled to Anahuac in protest. Bradburn agree to release Travis if the settlers would retreat. Most of the settlers did retreat, but Brad- burn did not follow through with his promise.

The settlers camp between Anahuac and Liberty at Turtle Bayou and Bradburn took the opportunity to reinforce his troops. Turtle Bayou Resolutions: The settlers at Turtle Bayou sent John Austin back to Brazoria to bring a connon. They felt they might need some artillery. While the settlers waited for the cannon, They drafted a statement known as the Turtle Bayou Resolutions. They stated their

continued loyalty to Mexico and their support of Santa Anna. The settlers believed that Santa Anna still supported the states’ rights constitution of 1824. Before Austin returns with the cannon, Bradburn had been dismissed from his command and W. B. Travis is released from jail in Anahuac.

The Battle of Valasco: John Austin loaded the cannon onto a ship at Brazoria and he and his men sailed down the Brazos toward the Gulf of Mexico. When they reached Velasco, Mexican Colonel Ugartechea refused to let them pass. Fighting broke and shots were fired. This was the first time that the Texans and Mexican soldiers shot at one another.

The Battle of Velasco resulted in casualties on both sides. Mexican soldiers ran out of ammunition and were forced to surrender. The Mexican soldiers returned to Mexico and the Texans continued to Anahuac where they found the conflict had already been solved.

Conventions of 1832 and 1833: Texans were still unhappy with the decisions of the Mexican government. Therefore, Delegates met in San Filipe in October of • Stephen F. Austin was elected the president of the convention. The delegates drafted a set of resolutions. 1. The colonists pledged their support to the true Mexican government under the Constitution of 1824.

The colonists ask for the repeal of the Law of April 6, 1824. • The colonists ask that the government allow immigration from the U.S. • They wanted to be exempted from custom duties. • Better protections from the Indians. • The creation of public schools. • Petitioned for the state of Coahuila y Tejas to be divided so that each terrirtory could have its own government.

Stephen F. Austin goes to San Antonio after the meeting to gain support of the Tejano community there. Another meeting was held on April 1,1833. Since Austin was away, William Wharton lead the meeting. The same proposals were drafted except this time they drafted a constitution for the new Mexican state of Texas. But, these actions looked like defiance of the government to the Mexican officials.

Austin in Mexico and His Arrest: Stephen F. Austin reached Mexico City in July 1833 with the Texans’ resolutions. Upon his arrival, he found Gomez Farias in charge of the government since Santa Anna was away. Austin presents the resolutions to Farias, but no interest was shown by Farias. Austin quickly becomes impatient with Farias. He decides to write a letter back to the Texans Suggesting that they establish a new state

Government that would make Texas sepa- rate from Coahuila but still part of the Mexican union. It wasn’t until a month later that Austin was able to meet with Santa Anna. Santa Anna agreed to most of the Texans’ request except, he repealed the law prohibiting Immigration to Texas. He agreed to im- prove the mail system and the court system and promised fairer taxes on goods coming from the U.S., but did not approve statehood for TX.

Austin leaves Mexico City on December 10, • On his way, he was arrested. Farias had intercepted the letter Austin had written to the Texans and felt it challenged the authority of the Mexican government. He was charged of treason. He remains in prison for a year. Finally, Austin was released on Dec- ember 25, 1834 and returned to Texas in 1835.

Conflicts Escalates: Texans quickly discover that Santa Anna did not share their view on government. Santa Anna dismissed the Mexican congress and had a new constitution written that placed power in his hands. In 1835, Santa Anna sends his brother-in-law General Martin Perfecto de Cos to command troops in Texas. His job was to enforce Santa Anna’s law and put down any rebellion.

War and Peace Parties: Texans had not quite agreed on what to do about Santa Anna and centralism. Sup- porters of a free Texas, such as Travis, William Wharton, and “3-Legged Willie” Williamson had already decided that armed resistance and complete independence, should be the goal for Texas. Those who agreed were called the “war party”. Those who favored a wait-and-see policy were called the “peace party”. These two factions

were not defined political parties but rather people who shared an opinion on how to deal with the government. Meanwhile, in San Antonio, Cos demanded that Travis and others be arrested and turned over to him. He also wanted to arrest Lorenzo de Zavala, a Mexican opponent of Santa Anna who fled to Texas for safety.

Cos and his soldiers moved to San Antonio and prepared for the arrest of the Texans. On their way, Gen. Ugartechea reminded Cos that the citizens of Gonzales held a six pound cannon. They send soldiers to seize it. This decision would result in the first armed conflict of the Texas Revolution.

The Battle of Gonzales: The Texans refused to give up the cannon. They bury the cannon. Word spread that the Mexican soldiers were planning to take the cannon, so settlers elected J. H. Moore to lead them on their next decisions. They dig up the cannon and prepared to use it when the Mexican soldiers returned. They flew a flag near the cannon that read, “Come and Take It”! On October 2, Texans fired the cannon at the

at the Mexican soldiers. Mexicans retreat to San Antonio. This battle showed that the Texans were becoming more defiant toward the Mexican government and more willing to use military force if needed. Meanwhile Cos continued his march to San Antonio. He also sent about 30 soldiers to Golaid to guard the Mexican fort there. George Collingsworth led Texans and they attacked the fort. After a brief fight, Mexican

soldiers surrendered. This short battle proved 2 important facts to the Texans: 1. It convinced the Texans that the Mexican army could be defeated easily. 2. Their control of Goliad cut off a major supply route for the Mexican army. In October 1835 nearly 300 Texans at Gonzales organized themselves into the Army of the People. Stephen F. Austin was their commander. With no military experience, Austin

led the force to attack Cos in San Antonio. When arriving in San Antonio a brief fight broke out at Mission Concepcion. The Mexican troops retreated even farther into San Antonio, and the Texans began a month long siege of the city. While the Army of the People in San Antonio, delegates met in San Filipe for a meeting called the Consultation.

This meeting was to decide which action Texas should take. On November 4, 1835, settlers who belonged to the war party urged the delegates to declare independence from Mexico. Those of the peace party wanted to remain loyal to Mexico but fight Santa Anna in support of the Constitution of 1824. On Nov. 6, 1835, the Consultation voted against an immediate declaration of independence. The delegates also set up a provisional government in Texas. Henry Smith was choosen

as governor. Stephen F. Austin, Branch Archer, and William Wharton were sent to the U.S. to raise troops and money for their cause. Edward Burlson was appointed to Austin’s position at San Antonio. Sam Houston was appointed to become the overall commander of military forces. The siege on San Antonio dragged on, and Texans began to tire because of no action. They began going back to their farms because

worked needed to be done. Next, Texans humilated themselves at what became known as the Grass Fight. On Nov. 26, Erastus “Deaf” Smith, one of Burleson’s scouts, brought news that Mex- ican soldiers were bringing horses and mules to San Antonio. They suspected the mules were carrying silver, which Cos was going to pay his soldiers with. The Texans attacked and discovered that the mules were

carrying only grass to feed their livestock. After this event, Texans were almost ready to give up when news came that Cos’s troops were low on supplies. On Dec. 5, Texans launched their attack. The battle lasted for 5 days. The fight finally stopped when Cos rose a white flag of surrender. Once again Texans thought the crisis had ended. Texans did not give a thought to what Santa Anna might have in mind.

The Road to Revolution • The Fredonian Rebellion erupts 1830 Mexico passes Law of April 6, 1836 • Clash at Anahuac • Stephen F. Austin imprisoned • Battle of Gonzales 1835 Battle of San Antonio

that the Anglo Americans out numbered Mexican settlers by 10 to 1. He also re-