Essential Question: How do governments change?
-
Upload
allison-hood -
Category
Documents
-
view
217 -
download
0
description
Transcript of Essential Question: How do governments change?
Essential Question: How do governments change?
The Convention of 1836 Essential Question: How do governments
change? Starting a New Republic
In early February 1836, Santa Anna marched into Texas with a large
army, crossing the Rio Grande at Laredo. By February 23, his army
was in San Antonio. While one group of Texans was readying for
battle in San Antonio, 59 elected delegates began arriving at
Washington-on-the-Brazos to attend the Convention of 1836. Starting
a New Republic
The delegates began their work on March 1, The Convention of 1836
marked the fourth time that Texans had met to debate the status of
Texas as a part of Mexico. In 1832 and 1833, they had appealed to
the Mexican government. In 1835 they had sought support from other
Mexican states. At this fourth meeting, most delegates were
determined to split from Mexico. The location of the Convention of
1836 was
Washington-on-the-Brazos Lubbock San Antonio Galveston The answer
is: A Delegates to the Convention
The delegates were all male, representing all the Texas
settlements. Only two of the 59 delegates, Jos Antonio Navarro and
Jos Francisco Ruz, were native Texans. Forty-five of the delegates
had been born in the southern United States and moved to Texas.
Seven were originally from the northern United States. One delegate
was from Mexico and four came from foreign countriesone each from
England, Scotland, Ireland, and Canada. Navarro Ruiz Zavala WHO WAS
LORENZO DE ZAVALA?
I, a Mexican by birth and always partial to (fond of) my native
country, have been torn between opposing duties and sentiments
(feelings). Decided to support the Texas fight for independence
Supported democratic ideals Found a colony with 500 families in
Texas Signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence
Vice-President of the new Republic of Texas Helped to form a new
government in Texas Delegates to the Convention
Several of the delegates had previous legislative experience. The
first task of the convention was to elect a chairman, and the
delegates chose Richard Ellis. H. S. Kimble was chosen as
secretary, to record debates and decisions. The next important step
the delegates took was to appoint a committee to write a
declaration of independence. Declaring Independence
George Childress, originally from Tennessee, had made the motion to
write a declaration and was named chairman of the committee to
write it. On the morning of March 2, the committee presented the
Texas Declaration of Independence to the convention.That same day,
all thedelegates at the conventionapproved the declaration. As a
result, March 2 became Texas Independence Day. Declaring
Independence
After approving Childresss declaration, the convention turned its
attention to writing a constitution for the new republic (a
government in which citizens rule through elected representatives).
On the night of March 16, the constitution was completed and
approved. The delegates then formed an ad interim government and
elected Sam Houston as the commander-in-chief of the Texas
military. Models for a New Government
The delegates had only a short time to write both the Declaration
of Independence and Constitution of Texas. Most of the delegates
were very familiar with the Declaration of Independence, written by
Thomas Jefferson in 1776, and the U.S. Constitution. These
documents served as the Texas writers main models.They also
included rights they enjoyed under Spanish and Mexican governments.
James Fannin George C. Childress David Crockett Juan Seguin
Just as Thomas Jefferson was in charge of writing the United States
Declaration of Independence, ________ was in charge of writing the
Texas Declaration of Independence. James Fannin George C. Childress
David Crockett Juan Seguin The answer is: B Looking to American
Government DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
The Texas Declaration began with a justification of the their
actions.Santa Anna had violated the liberties guaranteed under the
Mexican Constitution of 1824. The Convention of 1836 charged that
Texans had been deprived of many rights. Those rights included
freedom of religion and the right to trial by jury, the right to
bear arms, and the right to petition the government. Finally,
because Mexico had sent a large army, the declaration also noted
that the Texans protests against these policies were met with
military force. Texas and U.S. Declaration of Independence
CONSTITUTION There were also similarities between the Constitution
of Texas and that of the United States. Both documents established
three branches of government: the executive (chief governing
officer), legislative (lawmaking body), and judicial (courts).
Similar to the U.S. Constitution, Texass constitution contained a
Bill of Rights that guaranteed basic rights. They included freedom
of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, trial by
jury, and other basic civil rights, or guaranteed freedoms. This
Bill of Rights established civil freedom, political freedom, and
religious freedom in Texas. Spanish and Mexican Models
Some features of the Texas Constitution were based on practices
common in Spanish and Mexican law courts. For instance, the
document recognized both husbands and wives as able to own
community property. The constitution also had protections for
people in debt. For example, certain property could not be seized
as payment of debts. Ministers and priests were barred from holding
public office. Limits on Rights The Convention of 1836 did not
treat all people of Texas equally.(Slavery was legal.) Free African
Americans were not permitted to live in the Republic of Texas
without the permission of the legislature, and their rights to own
land were restricted. Native American rights were also left out of
the Constitution.Sam Houston, an adopted member of the Cherokee
Nation, tried to get them land titles, but the convention did not
approve it. An Ad Interim Government
There was not time to hold general elections to approve the
constitution and to vote for a leader of the new republic.
Therefore, it was necessary to set up a temporary government. The
new leaders included the first president, David G. Burnet. Sam
Houston was elected by unanimous vote as commander-in-chief of the
(volunteers and the regular) army. On the Move Houston left the
convention on March 6 to take command of the army atGonzales,
arriving there on March 11. By that time, the Alamo had already
fallen, its defenders killed. On March 15, reports reached the
convention that the Alamo had fallen. Two days later, on March 17,
the delegates received word that Santa Annas army was marching
toward their location at Washington-on-the-Brazos. With that news,
the convention adjourned, or ended, and the members scattered.
(From Harrisburg to Galveston) Summary One of the first acts of the
Convention of 1836 was to require males to serve in the military
because they expected to fight for independence. Both American and
Texas Declaration of Independence documents justify the act of
declaring independence. The Convention of 1836 did NOT address the
rights of Native Americans.The delegates did not approve a treaty
that granted the Cherokee in Texas the right to their lands. The
news of the Alamo made them more certain that they were doing the
right thing in establishing an independent country. The
establishment of the Republic of Texas brought civil freedom,
political freedom, and religious freedom to the new nation.The
Texas Constitution had a Bill of Rights that guaranteed basic
rights, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom
of religion, trial by jury, and other basic civil rights.