Expansion in Texas Mexican Independence Mexico won its

Expansion in Texas

Mexican Independence • Mexico won its independence in 1821. • Northern Mexico included present-day NM, CA, TX, AZ, NV, and UT. • Mexico discovered that owning a large territory did not mean controlling it. • Apache and Comanche Indians attack Mexican settlements in NM and TX.

Mexico Invites US Settlers • Mexican gov’t encouraged American farmers to settle in TX to protect the territory from Indian attacks. • American farmers were able to buy cheap land from empresarios, or land agents, but pledged to obey Mexican law and observe Catholicism. • Americans soon outnumbered Mexicans in TX.

Austin in Texas • The most successful empresario, Stephen F. Austin established a strict colony in TX, and prospered. • The US repeatedly tried to buy TX from Mexico, with no success.

TX Fights for Independence • As American immigration to TX surged, cultural tensions increased. • Mexico abolished slavery in 1829 and insisted in vain that the American colonists free their slaves, which they were unwilling to do. • In 1830, Mexico sealed its borders to any further immigration and slapped a heavy tax on American imports.

• Mexico could not enforce its policies. • The Anglo population doubled between 1830 -1834. • By 1835, 1, 000 Americans were pouring into TX each month. • When Mexican president Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna suspended the Mexican Constitution, several rebellions erupted, including the Texas Revolution.

“Remember the Alamo” • Austin had argued with Santa Anna for more self-gov’t for TX, w/o success. • Austin decided that war was the colonists’ only option to continue their way of life. • Santa Anna led a 4, 000 man army towards San Antonio to force the Texans to obey Mexican laws. • At the same time, Austin issued orders for Texans to arm themselves.

• In San Antonio, 187 Texans moved into the Alamo, an old mission and fort. • Santa Anna’s forces surrounded the Alamo and laid siege to the mission. • As the battle for the Alamo raged, Texans declared their independence from Mexico. • After 12 days of fighting, Santa Anna’s men penetrated the Alamo and killed every last defender.

The Lonestar Republic • 6 weeks after the Battle of the Alamo, Sam Houston led 900 men against Santa Anna’s forces near the San Jacinto River. • Shouting “Remember the Alamo, ” the Texans killed 630 Mexican soldiers in 15 minutes and captured Santa Anna, who they set free after forcing him to sign a treaty granting TX its independence.

• Houston was elected president of the Republic of Texas. • For 9 years, most Texans hoped the US would annex TX into the US. • Its hopes were delayed by antislavery forces who did not want TX to upset the sectional balance. • Shortly after James K. Polk, a southerner and slaveholder, became president (11 th) (1845), TX became the 28 th state.