Chapter 11, Section 2

The Texas Revolution

American Settlers Move to Texas

• Mexico’s border stretched from Texas to California unprotected– Mexico’s Spanish rulers feared attacks from

neighbors– Mexico’s Spanish rulers were worried about internal

problems, such as a revolution • Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

– September 1810 led a rebellion against the Spanish with force of 80,000 Native Americans and mestizos (people who were ½ Spanish descent and ½ Native American)• Fighting for Mexican independence

American Settlers Move to Texas

• Even though Hidalgo’s revolt failed, the rebellion against Spain grew stronger– Mexican won their independence from Spain

in 1821• Adopted a republican constitution that declared

rights for all Mexicans

– New Mexican government hired empresarios• Agents who would bring settlers to Texas (then a

part of Mexico)– Agents paid in land

American Settlers Move to Texas• Stephen F. Austin

– Began a Texas colony in 1822 on the lower Colorado River• First 300 colonial families known as the “Old 300”• Austin’s colony attracted many American settlers to

Texas

• In exchange for free land, Texas settlers agreed to obey Mexican laws– Settlers often ignored these laws

• For example, many brought slaves with them even though slavery was against the Mexican law

American Settlers Move to Texas• Rapid growth in population as a result of

American settlers worried the new Mexican government– As a newly independent nation, the Mexican

government did not want to lose control of its people• Banned further American settlement in 1830• Banishment angered many Texans and sparked ideas of

revolution against Mexico

• Antonio Lopes de Santa Anna– Mexican General– Became ruler of Mexico– Suspended the new Mexican Constitution and turned

his attention to the growing unrest in Texas

Texans Revolt Against Mexico

• October 1835– Mexican military attempted to seize artillery

from the town of Gonzales, TX– Rebels stood next to the cannon bearing a

flag that read “Come and get it”– In the battle that followed, the rebels won– Marked the beginning of the Texas Revolution

Texas Independence• March 2, 1836

– Texas declared independence from Mexico• Their declaration and constitution closely followed

United States’ models– Constitution allowed for slavery

– David Burnet selected as president; Lorenzo de Zavala as Vice President

– Sam Houston selected as General of the Texas army

– Stephen Austin asked the United States for money and troops

Battle at the Alamo• An angry Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

mobilized a force to stop the rebellion• A hastily created force of Texas volunteers

had been clashing with Mexican troops for months– Led by Colonel William Travis, a small force of

Texans took the town of San Antonio and occupied the Alamo• Abandoned mission near San Antonio that would

become an important battle site in the Texas Revolution

• Included volunteers from the United States such as Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie

Battle at the Alamo• Fewer than 200 Texans hoped to stall the huge

Mexican army until a larger Texan army assembled– Texans held out at the Alamo for almost 2 weeks

• Mexican army launched a full scale attack against the Alamo– Almost all of the defenders of the Alamo were killed

• Following another battle at Goliad, Santa Anna ordered the execution of all prisoners taken– Massacre outraged Texans

Battle of San Jacinto

• Santa Anna chased Sam Houston’s forces– Outnumbered, Houston’s forces fled east– Houston was able to reorganize his forces at the San

Jacinto River (near present day Galveston)

• An overconfident Santa Anna carelessly chose an unprotected site for his army’s camp– While his troops were resting, Houston staged a

surprise attack• Texan forces swarmed the Mexican camp shouting

“Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!”

Battle of San Jacinto

• Battle of San Jacinto– Texan victory over Santa Anna (Mexico)

• Santa Anna’s forces were destroyed• Santa Anna captured and forced to sign a treaty

giving Texas their independence

An Independent Nation• The war for Texan independence made Sam

Houston a hero– New town named after him and made the capital– Elected president of the new nation of Texas

• Houston offered land grants to increase population• Many Texas settlers and the U.S. Congress hoped

that the United States would annex Texas– Andrew Jackson refused out of concern that admitting

Texas as a slave state would upset the congressional balance of slave and free states

– Andrew Jackson also feared a war with Mexico• Jackson recognized Texas as an independent

nation– France and Britain followed

• Peace treaty between Mexico and Texas signed in 1844