WELCOME TO AUSTIN, TEXAS

GMA LITIGATION CONFERENCE

FEBRUARY 23-25, 2010

TEXAS

28th State in the Union

Admitted December 29, 1845

Second most populated state in the Country (20,851,820- 2000)

758 miles El Paso to Orange; like Pittsburgh to Tampa, Fl.

733 miles Brownsville to Dumas same as Washington DC to Tallahassee, FL

Texas is youngMassachusetts- 1630

North Carolina- 1653

New York- 1664

1820-Spain opened Texas to Anglo settlement because no one would move here due to Indians. Lipan Apaches, Comanche, Karankawa ,Tonkawa, Caddo, Kiowa and Waco Indians.

1821- Mexico obtains its independence and opens the territory.

Stephen F. Austin 1822-

In America $100.00 buy you 80 acres of land. 1.25 an acre.

In Texas $184 4,428 acres of grazing land and 177 acres of irrigable farm land. $.o4 per acre.-$184.00.

First 300- 1823- 4 more for Austin and more impresarios. Like any young colony, the Texans just wanted freedom. They wanted statehood w/in Mexico. Mexico was suspect because America wanted to buy land in East Texas.

Battle of Gonzales

Battle of Gonzales- October 2, 1835

The beginning of the Texas Revolution.

The Mexican Army sent 100 dragoons to retrieve a cannon given to the colonists to protect themselves from the Indians.

There was a small skirmish and the Mexican army retreated.

The Texans carried a flag saying “come and take it.”

The Alamo

Alamo- Feb 23-March 6, 1836-

189 men including Davy Crockett, James Bowie, William B. Travis…

1800 of Santa Anna’s army charged at dawn and 90 minutes later, by 8:00, all of the fighting men were dead. The battle was over.

After 13 days of fighting, 600 of Santa Anna’s soldiers were killed

Enough time for Texans to draft constitution and gather volunteer soldiers.

The Alamo

The Alamo

The Battle of Coleto Creek and the Goliad

Massacre

Battle of Goliad- March 27, 1836 (Palm Sunday) Many haven’t heard of this battle that brought the hearts of the Americans to our side.

After the Alamo, the Mexican troops struck out after the Texan army. It was known as the runaway scrape. Things were not going well for Texas.

On March 19, 1836, the Mexican Army approached the town of Goliad, Texas and Colonel Fannin and his 300 troops retreated from La Bahia, the fort they occupied.

Wholesale slaughter of Colonel Fannin and troops on March 27, 1836. They were tricked into surrendering under agreement not to fight again. They were marched back to Goliad where they were executed.

Angel of Goliad.

The Battle of San Jacinto

Battle of San Jacinto- April 21, 1836;

783-910 Texans led be General Sam Houston yelled “remember the Alamo and remember Goliad as they charged in at noon to find the army in siesta, and without posted lookouts.

1360 total; 630 killed and 730 taken prisoner, including Santa Anna.

Santa Anna captured and after the Treaty of Velasco was signed the war was over.

Texas Revolution and Trial Analogy2 October 1835 -- Texans repulsed a detachment of Mexican cavalry at the

Battle of Gonzales. The revolution began.

2 6 March 1836 -- Texans under Col. William B. Travis were overwhelmed by the Mexican army after a two-week siege at the Battle of the Alamo in San Antonio. The Runaway Scrape began.

7 March 1836 – James Fannin and nearly 400 Texans were executed by the Mexicans at the Goliad Massacre, under order of Santa Anna.

21 April 1836 -- Texans under Sam Houston routed the Mexican forces of Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto. Thus, independence was won in one of the most decisive battles in history.

November 1839 -- The Texas Congress first met in Austin, the frontier site selected for the capital of the Republic.