TEXAS INDEPENDENCE Migration to Texas 1821 Mexico wins

TEXAS INDEPENDENCE

Migration to Texas 1821: Mexico wins independence from Spain. Most Spanish-speaking Mexicans lived in southern Mexico, due largely to fear of Native American attacks in what is today Texas. � Apache, Comanche, etc. Mexican government issues laws to encourage Americans to migrate to Mexican land (Texas). � Cheap land, 10 year tax exemption, but. . . must become a Mexican citizen and convert to Catholicism.

Americans Do Not Embrace Mexico Despite the desires of the Mexican government, the new settlers of Texas do not embrace the culture and traditions of Mexico, choosing instead to remain Americans in a foreign land. Mexico began to distrust the migrating American settlers, and ultimately had to fight off several rebellions from them. 1830: Mexico closed its borders to future immigration, outlawed slavery, and imposed a heavy protective tariff. � New laws infuriated the American settlers.

Texas Organizes 1833: Convention at San Felipe agrees to send Stephen Austin to President Santa Anna to negotiate. � Texas had been a part of the Mexican state of Coahuila; now wants to become its own Mexican state. Despite winning concessions from Santa Anna, Austin writes a letter back to Texas recommended Texas pursue its own course of action. � Santa Anna intercepts the letter; imprisons Austin in Mexico City from Jan. 1834 – July 1835.

War Begins Mexico City was in upheaval, as President Santa Anna threw out the Constitution and declared himself dictator. � Difficult Early Victory for Texas at Gonzales � “Come to raise an army with this much chaos. and Take It. ” Sam Houston organizes an untrained, unprofessional army of Texans to resist Santa Anna’s raised army of 6, 000.

Original Flag at Gonzales

The Alamo Under the command of William Travis, 180 Texans holed up to defend a small Spanish mission in San Antonio – the Alamo. � Goal: Hold off Santa Anna long enough to give Houston enough time to train the Texan army. Travis pleads for reinforcements from surrounding areas: �I call on you, in the name of liberty, of patriotism, and everything dear to American character, to come to our aid with all dispatch. . . Though this call may be neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible, and die like a soldier. . . Victory or Death!

The Alamo

The Alamo (cont. ) Travis’s plea only brings 32 reinforcements. Famous defenders included Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett. March 6, 1836: Santa Anna’s forces stormed the Spanish mission. � 6 hour fight that saw 600 Mexicans and every fighter from the Alamo dead.

The Alamo

Late Battles Goliad � Texan forces led by James Fannin surrendered to Santa Anna, who refused their surrender and executed all 300 men. San Jacinto Santa Anna finally makes a mistake, allowing his troops to sleep during the afternoon. � Houston launches an assault and destroys the Mexican army in a matter of 20 minutes. � “Remember the Alamo”; “Remember Goliad”. � Forced Santa Anna to accept a peace treaty, but the Mexican Congress never accepted defeat. �

End to the War Sept. 1836: Texas voted for annexation into the United States and elected Sam Houston as their first president. Posed a problem for the United States, especially in the debate over the extension of slavery and the balance of power between slave and free states. � President Jackson leaves office without ever allowing annexation.