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Independence for Texas

Independence for Texas. Section 2. Opening Texas to Americans. Texas was never a deserted land Long before it became part of the U.S. it was part of Spain’s Mexican colony Country achieved independence from Spain in 1821

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Independence for Texas

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  1. Independence for Texas Section 2

  2. Opening Texas to Americans • Texas was never a deserted land • Long before it became part of the U.S. it was part of Spain’s Mexican colony • Country achieved independence from Spain in 1821 • Tejanos- Spanish speaking inhabitants of area who established settlements as San Antonia de Bexar and Hidalgo in the southern portion of the region • Few Tejanos lived north of here, that territory was of the Apache, Comanche, and other Native American groups

  3. Cont. • Mexico had trouble convincing its own citizens to move closer to the Native Americans • Spanish policy was to invite others to settle there • Mexico passed 3 laws which offered cheap land to anyone • Last law granted new immigrants a 10 year exemption on taxes, but required them to become Mexican citizens, live under Mexican law, and convert to Roman Catholicism

  4. Empresarios and Settlers • Read this section

  5. Americanizing Texas • Americans who emigrated to Texas accepted Mexican citizenship as required • Few, however, adopted Mexican customs nor saw Mexico as their own country • Many refused to learn Spanish • Mexican government thought they would • Mexicans begin to distrust the new settlers American lifestyle as well as their dismissal of Mexican ways

  6. Cont. • 1826 empresario’s and Mexican government had a go at it over who controlled the region • Large number of American settlements called for an independent nation of Fredonia • Benjamin Edwards had few followers • Stephen Austin led troops to crush the revolt

  7. Cont. • Small revolt worried Mexico • 1830 Mexico closed its borders to Americans and slave labor • Placed taxes on goods imported from foreign countries, hoping to discourage trade with U.S. • New laws upset the settlers • Without immigration their settlements couldn’t grow

  8. Cont. • New import tax meant higher prices for goods they were accustomed to purchasing from the U.S. • Worst of all the Mexican government was telling them what they could and couldn’t do • Settlers saw no reason to follow orders of a government they hardly considered their own

  9. Texas Goes to War • Read this section

  10. The Early Battles • Austin urged Texans to form an army and they quickly did • They faced a Mexican army with serious problems • No sound leadership, training, or support • Texans get first taste of victory at the military post of Gonzales • Mexicans ordered Texans to surrender • Texans responded by pointing cannons and replying “Come and Take It”

  11. Cont. • Rebels drove Mexicans out of San Antonia in December 1835 • Texans faced difficulties of their own • Few men had military training • No one agreed on who should lead • Sam Houston took command • Former governor of Tenn. and proven military leader • Santa Anna organized about 6,ooo troops to put down rebellion

  12. The Alamo • Santa Anna’s forced arrived at San Antonio where they found 180 rebels holed up in an abandoned Spanish catholic mission called the Alamo • William B. Travis was in command and they sought to hold off Anna to give Houston more time • Call for reinforcements but went unanswered

  13. Cont. • Texans held off Santa Anna’s besieging army for 13 days despite running low on ammunition and gunpowder • Santa Anna army finally stormed the Alamo where the Texans fought them off for over 6 hours before being overrun • Rebels killed 600 in those 6 hours • Defenders of the Alamo had been defeated but they bought Houston’s army 2 extra weeks to organize

  14. Goliad • Read this section

  15. The Battle of San Jacinto • Texan army in disarray • Houston needs time to recruit and train more soldiers, so he chose to retreat instead of fight in order to buy timeand wait for Santa Anna to make a mistake • April 21, 1836 Santa Anna made his mistake • Both armies encamped along San Jacinto river • Santa Anna didn’t see Houston as a threat so he allowed his men to sleep in the afternoon

  16. Cont. • Santa Anna felt Houston would wait until the next day to attack • Houston’s soldiers convinced officers to attack • Shielded by a hill, Houston’s men crept up on Santa Anna’s sleeping soldiers and charged • Mexicans went into a panic • Battle lasted 20 minutes • Houston’s men were yelling “Remember the Alamo” and “Remember Goliad”

  17. Cont. • Houston’s men attacked with guns, knives, and clubs • Hundreds were killed, 700 member of Santa Anna’s men were taken captives • Texans suffered 9 loses and 34 wounded • Santa Anna himself was one of the captives • Houston forced Santa Anna to order his army out of Texas and sign a treaty recognizing independence for the Republic of Texas

  18. The Republic of Texas • Finish reading this section • annexation

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