Mexico Becomes Independent Changing Borders and Alliances With

Mexico Becomes Independent

Changing Borders and Alliances • With its victory in the Seven Years’ War, Spain received : • • • Control of Louisiana Mississippi River delta New Orleans • Spanish officials began to wonder if the East Texas missions and presidios were still necessary.

King’s Inspector • Marqués de Rubí inspected the frontier provinces and recommended: • • All missions in Texas, except for those at San Antonio and Goliad, be abandoned. All Spanish settlers in East Texas be moved to San Antonio • Spanish efforts to colonize other areas of Texas were slowed by Apache and Comanche raids.

Y’Barbo and Nacogdoches • In early 1779, without permission from the government, Gil Y’Barbo led the settlers back into the East Texas timberlands. There they founded the town of Nacogdoches, near the Mission Guadalupe, one of the abandoned East Texas missions.

Spain, the United States, and Texas • In 1776, thirteen of Britain's North American colonies joined together to rebel against British rule. The conflict is known as the American Revolution. • The Spanish military governor of Louisiana, opened the port of New Orleans to American ships and made generous contributions of weapons, clothing, money, and medical supplies to American troops. • In 1783, a peace treaty reconfirmed Spain’s claim to Florida, and both the United States and Great Britain received trading rights on the Mississippi River.

The Louisiana Purchase • In 1800 Spain agreed to return control of Louisiana and New Orleans to France. Just three years later, the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France for about $15 million.

Border Disputes Develop • Rather than fight for control of the disputed territory between the rivers, they declared that the lands would be the Neutral Ground. • In 1819 the United States and Spain signed the Adams-Onís Treaty, ending the boundary dispute.

A Call for Independence • September 16, 1810: • Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla issued a grito, or call, for a rebellion against Spanish authorities. • His call for an uprising against the Spanish marked the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence.

The Republican Army of the North • José Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara and Lieutenant Augustus Magee began recruiting soldiers for the Republican Army of the North. • By August 1812 the Gutiérrez–Magee Expedition had an army made of Tejanos, Native Americans, and white American filibusters. • The Republican Army crossed the Sabine River into Texas and captured Nacogdoches without difficulty. The Republican Army captured Goliad in early November.

The Battle of Medina • In August 1813 the Republican Army battled Spanish forces south of San Antonio near the Medina River. • The Spanish overwhelmed the Republican Army and won a complete victory. • In fear for their own lives, colonists deserted the towns of Goliad and Nacogdoches.

James Long’s Expedition • In the summer of 1819, Long led 300 rebels into Texas and easily captured the nearly deserted town of Nacogdoches. • Then in the fall of 1821, they moved along the coast to the San Jacinto River and inland to capture Goliad. • The Spanish surrounded and captured Long’s forces. Long was taken to Mexico City, where he was shot and killed six months later by a guard.