1. Chapter 9 The Road to Revolution 1826-1835
Essential Questions
Did the change in the government of Mexico justify the rebellion of the Texans?
Were the Texans justified in declaring independence from Mexico?
Was the Texas Revolution inevitable?

2. The Road to Revolution 1826 The Fredonian Rebellion erupts
1830 Mexico passes Law of April 6, 1830
1832 Colonists and Mexican troops clash at Anahuac
1833 Stephen F. Austin imprisoned
1835 The Battle of Gonzales fought
1835 Texans and Mexican troops face off at Battle of San Antonio

3. Section 1 Tensions Mount Between Mexico and Texas
Not long after colonization began in Texas, conflicts erupted between the Mexican government and the colonists. Even though Mexican officials attempted to control the conflicts, their efforts served to anger and unify the colonists

4. MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES IN 1824

5. Section 1 Vocabulary States’ Rights: idea that a state could choose
to obey or enforce federal laws
Nationalist: person who supports policies of a
nation; loyal to country
Provision: a specific requirement set by a law
Customs Duty: tax on things taken into or out
of a country

6. Differences Arise
Texas settlers from other areas (different cultures) didn’t always like Mexican government; kind of did their own thing regardless of what Mexican government wanted

7. A Question of States’ Rights
Tension rose over balance of power between a state and a nation
Mexico divided into states (like US)
Mexican Constitution of 1824: established a states’ rights government….most decisions and power is given to individual states
Texas settlers liked this because they had more control over decisions in their state
Texas was in state of Coahuila y Tejas. Capital: Saltillo

8. States’ Rights, con’t
Some Mexican leaders thought that Mexican government should have the most power
These were called Nationalists
Didn’t like so many settlers from US moving to Texas
Afraid that so many settlers from US would encourage everyone in Texas to want to join the US
These fears caused conflict

9. Competing Lands Claims
Empresaria Haden Edwards (1825) received land grant near Nacogdoches
When he got there, found people already living there
Mexicans who had settled in area
Cherokee families (Tah Chee—Cherokee leader)
Edwards had to honor the fact that people were already living there but he wanted them to show proof of ownership…threatened to take land if didn’t show ownership
People wrote letters to Mexican government and complained about Edwards
Mexican officials sided with settlers already in area
Edward’s brother, Benjamin, wrote angry letters back to Mexican officials

10. The Edwards Brothers
Haden Edwards overturned an election for alcalde of Nacogdoches
Mexican Governor Victor Blanco was tired of Edwards…revoked his land grant..told Edwards and his brother to leave Texas
Edwards spent a lot of money to get land grant and didn’t want to lose it
Negotiated a treaty with some Cherokees who were unhappy with not getting their own land title

11. The Fredonian Rebellion
Tensions built up between Texans (Edwards brothers) and Mexican government and finally resulted in a conflict called The Fredonian Rebellion
See Multicultural Connections on page 193
Occurred near Nacogdoches in 1826
Mexican nationalists thought Texas settlers were trying to take over Texas
Cherokee leaders John Hunter and Richard Fields joined with Benjamin Edwards and formed the Fredonian Republic and declared area free from Mexico
Took over a building in Nacogdoches called the Old Stone Fort and removed the alcalde
Occupied building for a month and called the capital of their newly freed area Fredonia

12. The Fredonian Rebellion, con’t
Mexico sent in soldiers to try to stop the rebellion (led by Mateo Ahumada)
Stephen F. Austin was worried Edwards and Fredonian Rebellion would look bad for all Texas colonists
He sided with the Mexican government
He organized troops to fight with the Mexicans against the Fredonian Republic
Conflict ended quickly
Edwards brothers fled to Louisiana
Cherokees executed Hunter and Fields
Result of Fredonian Rebellion
Increased Mexican concern about what was happening in Texas

13. An Attempt to Purchase Texas
Because so many US settlers had come to Texas, US offered to buy Texas from Mexico in 1826
US President John Quincy Adams sent a man named Joel R. Poinsett to Texas and he offered 1 million dollars to buy Texas…US wanted to expand westward
Poinsett handled deal badly and it made Mexico mad
FYI: Poinsett introduced poinsettia to US
(see page 194)

14. The Mier y Teran Report
Fredonian Rebellion and US offer to purchase Texas concerned Mexico
Sent Mier y Teran (Mexican general) to Texas to find out what was going on. He spent a year touring Texas
Wrote report
Anglo colonists outnumbered Mexicans in Texas by 10-1
US influence was spreading in Texas
Stated that Mexico must gain control of Texas

15. Teran Report, con’t As a result of the report
Mexico President Vicente Guerrero abolished slavery in Mexico
They thought this would keep Anglo Americans from wanting to come to Texas…most of them had slaves

16. Law of April 6, 1830 Outlawed immigration from US to Texas
Cancelled all empresarial grants
Encouraged Mexican and European settlers to come to Texas…provided money for them to come
Slaves could not be brought into Texas
New forts and presidios started to stop immigration from US
Put customs duties on goods entering Texas from US

17. Law of April 6, 1830, con’t Anglo Texans didn’t like law
Needed slaves to work cotton fields
Custom Duty taxes would hurt Texas economy
Friends and relatives from US could not join family members already in Texas
States’ Rights activitists thought Mexican national government had gone too far and made too many laws that states should have say so in
Increased tensions between Texas and Mexican government

18. Tah Chee Cherokee Leader Haden Edwards and his wife Old Stone Fort
Flag of the
Fredonian Rebellion
Mier y Teran

19. Section 2 A Bitter Division Evolves
Clashes between Texas colonists and Mexican leaders over states’ rights led Texans to petition for a separate state.

20. Section 2 Vocabulary Allegiance: loyalty
Centralist: supporter of strong national
government and weak state power
Resolution: a formal statement of a decision,
opinion, or course of action by an
official group
Delegate: person who represents others

21. Unrest in Texas
After Law of April 6, 1830, was passed, things got bad between the Texas colonists and the Mexican government
Mexico sent additional soldiers into Texas to collect the customs duty taxes
Already had soldiers in Nacogdoches, San Antonio, and Goliad
Sent soldiers into Fort Teran, Velasco, and Anahuac for the first time
Colonists did not like more soldiers in Texas and they did not like having to pay new taxes

22. Santa Anna’s Rise to Power
Mexican president, Anastasio Bustamante, did not support Constitution of 1824…he believed in a strong national government and very weak state government
This belief mad Texans mad
This led to more conflict between Texans and the Mexican government

23. Santa Anna, con’t Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna Born in Mexico in 1794
Joined Spanish army in 1810
Served on mission to defeat the Guiterrez-Magee expedition (filibusters)
Stayed in “favor” with both the Spanish government and then with the Mexican government
Right before Mexico became free from Spain, he switched his allegiance from Mexico to Spain
In 1832, he decided he wanted some political power
Opposed the centralist idea (said he believed in states’ rights) and launched a revolution against President Bustamante

24. Santa Anna, con’t
Santa Anna sent Colonel Jose Antonio Mexia to Texas to check out the problems there
Stephen F. Austin met with Mexia and told Mexia that Texans supported Santa Anna’s ideas (of states’ rights)
But, the Texans soon found out that Santa Anna was really a centralist…he wanted all of the power himself (didn’t believe in states’ rights after all)

25. Conflict at Galveston George Fisher
Mexican official stationed in Texas
Created problems among Texas colonists
Was appointed by Mexican government to collect customs duties and to stop the smuggling of goods in/out of Texas without paying customs duty
Tried to stop smuggler’s ships by making all ships carrying goods go through a customs house at Anahuac to tell officials what was on the ships
This was not convenient or easy for ships….treacherous waters, long ways out of the way, etc….ship captains ignored this and didn’t think it was fair

26. Bradburn Increases Tensions
John Davis Bradburn
Mexican official
Anglo American who supported centralists in Mexico
Job was to enforce Mexican laws dealing with settling in Texas
Land titles
Forced Texans to work for free to build a new fort at Anahuac and used colonist’s slaves to work for his public works programs

27. The Disturbance at Anahuac
William T. Logan
Came to Anahuac from US looking for 2 of his slaves who had run away
Bradburn had the slaves and wouldn’t give them back to Logan without a proof of ownership
Logan hired attorney William Barrett Travis to help him
Travis (only 22 years old) tried to trick Bradburn to get him to release the slaves
Note to a guard saying Logan was back and had brought armed troops
Bradburn rallied his soldiers but was embarrassed when Logan didn’t have soldiers
Bradburn had Travis arrested (Travis’ parter, Patrick Jack, was arrested also)

28. Disturbance at Anahuac, con’t
Texans demanded the release of Travis and Jack
Sent a group of 150 settlers to Anahuac to protest
Bradburn said he would release Travis and Jack if settlers would retreat
Settlers retreated but Bradburn did not release Travis and Jack
Settlers decided to set up camp between Anahuac and Liberty on Turtle Bayou
Bradburn reinforced his troops

29. Turtle Bayou Resolutions
Settlers camped at Turtle Bayou sent John Austin to Brazoria to get a cannon
While waiting for him to come back, they drafted (wrote) the Turtle Bayou Resolutions
The resolutions
Colonists pledged loyalty to Mexico
Stated support for Santa Anna (who seemed to be on the same side as the colonists but wasn’t)

30. Turtle Bayou Resolutions, con’t
Before John Austin got back with the cannon, a Mexican colonel, Jose de las Piedras, went to Anahuac to see what was going on
When he got there, he
Ordered Travis and Jack released from jail
Dismissed Bradburn from his command
Peaceful solution to problem…peacefulness didn’t last long

31. The Battle of Velasco
When John Austin was trying to get the cannon back to Anahuac, he put the cannon on a ship and sailed it down Brazos River to Gulf of Mexico at Velasco
When they got to Velasco, the Mexican colonel , Domingo de Ugartechea, wouldn’t let them continue on
Fighting broke out…soldiers shot at each other for first time

32. Battle of Velasco, con’t
Both Mexicans and Texans died in the Battle of Velasco
Mexican troops ran out of ammunition and had to surrender and returned to Mexico
Texans continued on down Brazos River to Anahuac
Got there and found out the problem at Anahuac had already ended

33. The Conventions of 1832 and 1833
Texans felt good about victories at Anahuac and Velasco but were still no happy with Mexican government
56 delegates met in San Felipe de Austin in October 1832 to draft a set of resolutions to give to Mexican government
Stephen F. Austin was president of the delegates

34. Conventions, con’t Resolutions
Supported Mexican Constitution of 1824 (states’s rights)
Wanted Law of April 6, 1830 repealed
Wanted Mexico to allow immigration from US
Wanted Texas to be exempt from customs duties
Wanted protection from Native Americans
Wanted public schools created
Wanted state of Coahuila y Tejas to be divided so each territory could have its own government

35. Conventions, con’t
After they drafted the resolutions, Stephen F. Austin went to San Antonio to get support of resolutions there
But San Antonio officials wouldn’t send the resolutions to Mexican officials in Mexico City
When Austin was in San Antonio, the delegates met again on April 1, 1833
Elected William Wharton as president

36. Conventions, con’t Drafted same resolutions as in 1832
Difference: they drafted a constitution for the Mexican state of Texas. They wanted Texas to be its own separate state and be able to make its own rules/laws and have its own constitution
Followed same steps as any new state in the US
Mexico saw this as defying the Mexican government

37. Austin in Mexico
After Convention of 1833, Stephen F. Austin went to Mexico City to give the new Texas resolutions to Mexican officials
Trip took 3 months
When he got to Mexico City, city was in turmoil after a revolution led by Santa Anna
Santa Anna (through his representative Valentin Gomez Farias) attempted to make changes
Cholera epidemic swept through city; thousands died

38. Austin in Mexico, con’t
Austin presented the resolutions to Gomez Farias
Farias wasn’t in a hurry to address Texan’s problems
Austin got impatient
Wrote a letter to the Texans suggesting that they establish a new state government that would make Texas separate from Coahuila but still be a part of Mexico

39. Austin in Mexico, con’t Austin then met with Santa Anna
Santa Anna agreed to most of Texan’s requests
Allowed US immigration to Texas again
Agreed to improve mail service and court system
Promised fairer taxes on goods coming to Texas from US
Santa Anna would NOT agree to separate statehood for Texas

40. Austin’s Arrest
After Austin met with Santa Anna, he left Mexico in December 1833 to return home
Was arrested when he got to Saltillo
Farias intercepted Austin’s letter to Texans and thought it challenged Mexican authority
Austin was accused of treason and spent one year in prison in Mexico City
First few months in solitary confinement

41. Austin’s Arrest, con’t
Even in prison, he remained hopeful that the situation between Texas and Mexico would improve
2 lawyers, Spencer Jack and Peter Grayson, went to Mexico City in October 1834 to request Austin’s release
He was released on December 25, 1834 but was under house arrest and had to stay in Mexico City for several more months
Finally returned to Texas in summer of 1835
Things didn’t really heat up between Mexico and Texas until right before Austin got back to Texas….but then they got bad in the summer of 1835

42. Section 3 The Conflict Escalates
When Santa Anna gained control of the Mexican government, he sent Mexican troops into Texas once again. His actions convinced many Texans that independence was the solution.

43. Section 3 Vocabulary Faction: a group of people who share a
viewpoint on an issue
Siege: lengthy military attack on a fortified place
Provisional Government: a group of people
who make laws and
provide services on
a temporary basis

44. Mexican Troops Return to Texas
Texans soon realized that they disagreed with Santa Anna
Santa Anna took over control of Mexico
Santa Anna sent General Martin Perfecto de Cos to command troops in Texas in 1835
De Cos’ mission was to support Santa Anna and squelch any rebellion
De Cos also sent Antonio Tenoria to Anahuac to start collecting customs duties again

45. Mexican Troops Return, con’t
In Anahuac, 2 Texans were arrested for not showing respect to Tenorio
Some Texans met and figured out that Santa Anna had overthrown their state government in Texas
Then they decided to force Tenorio out of Anahuac
They named William B. Travis as the leader to force Tenorio out

46. Mexican Troops Return, con’t
When Travis and his men got to Anahuac, he fired a shot to let Tenorio know he was there
Some people disagreed with Travis for being so aggressive
But, Tenorio surrendered and agreed to leave Texas

47. War and Peace Parties
When Travis and his men were leaving Anahuac with Tenorio, they stopped in Harrisburg
The Texans there were celebrating July 4
Tenorio was treated with respect; Travis was treated with disdain
People wanted to show their loyalty to Mexico and their disgust with Travis’ aggressive actions

48. War and Peace Parties, con’t
What did this mean?
Texans still couldn’t decide what they wanted to support….Santa Anna/centralism or states’ rights
There were a group of Texas men who formed a “war party”
Supported Travis and wanted to fight for Texas’ independence
Three-Legged Willie Williamson(page 204)
William B. Travis
Henry Smith

49. War and Peace Parties, con’t
There was also a group of people who weren’t ready to fight yet…they wanted to wait and se what happened with Santa Anna
They were known as the “peace party”
These factions were not political parties but just had different opinions about how to deal with government

50. Centralist Reaction
When Tenorio was “escorted” into San Antonio, Cos wanted Travis arrested for what he did
Cos also wanted to arrest Lorenzo de Zavala….he was a Mexican who disagreed with Santa Anna…he fled to Texas for safety
At the time Stephen F. Austin returned to Texas after being in prison, disputes between Cos and the Texans continued

51. Centralist Reaction, con’t
Texans wanted Stephen F. Austin to help them handle the situation
After being in prison, Stephen F. Austin realized that the only thing Texans could do was to fight the Mexicans
See Texas Voices p. 205
Cos wanted to arrest more Texans but then he was reminded that the Texans had a cannon in the town of Gonzales
(Empresario Green De Witt had it to protect people from Indians)

52. Centralist Reaction, con’t
The Mexicans sent an army to seize the cannon at Gonzales

53. The Battle of Gonzales October 2, 1835
When Mexicans reached Gonzales, the alcalde would not give up the cannon without written orders; the Mexicans waited across the Guadalupe River for the written orders to come in
In the meantime, the Texans buried the cannon!
When word got out that the Mexicans were going to take the cannon, about 160 settlers joined the fight
They elected JH Moore as their leader
They dug up the cannon and flew a banner over it that said “Come and Take It”!!

54. Battle of Gonzales, con’t
Mexican Lieutenant Castenada led 100 men to Gonzales to take the cannon
JH Moore’s men crossed the Guadalupe River first and fired the cannon at the Mexicans
Castenada ordered his men to retreat to San Antonio
Significance of the Battle of Gonzales:
Showed that the Texans were very defiant toward the Mexicans and they weren’t afraid to use military force if necessary

55. The Army of the People
When other Texans heard about the Battle of Gonzales, the quickly came to Gonzales ready to fight
They decided to move on to San Antonio to drive out the Mexican soldiers permanently
In the meantime, Cos sent 30 soldiers to Goliad to guard the Mexican fort there
But, about 50 Texans led by George Collingsworth attacked the fort

56. The Army of the People, con’t
Why was this little battle at Goliad important?
It showed that the Mexican army could be defeated easily
With Texans controlling Goliad, a major supply route for Mexican army was cut off
October 1835: 300 Texans at Gonzales organized themselves into the Army of the People
Selected Stephen F. Austin as their commander

57. The Army of the People, con’t
As the Army of the People moved to attack the Mexicans at San Antonio, more settlers joined…about 600 in all
When the Army of the People got to San Antonio, a brief fight broke out near Mission Concepcion
Mexican soldiers retreated further into San Antonio
Texans began a month long siege of the city
During the siege, many colonists met and discussed what was happening in Texas

58. The Consultation
Delegates met in San Felipe de Austin on November 4, 1835 to decide what Texas should do (some were for battle; some wanted peace)
Their meeting was called the Consultation
On November 6, 1835, the Consultation voted against a declaration of independence from Mexico with a vote of 33-15

59. The Consultation, con’t
The next day they voted to adopt the “Declaration of the People in Texas in General Convention Assembled”
Stated they would remain loyal citizens of Mexico
Said they fought only to stand up for Mexican Constitution of 1824 (states’ rights)
Encouraged other Mexicans to also support the Constitution of 1824
Texans set up a provisional government
Elected Henry Smith as governor

60. The Consultation, con’t
Set a date to meet again on March 1, 1836
Asked Stephen F. Austin, Branch T. Archer, and William Wharton to go to US and ask for money to support the Texans
When Austin left, Edward Burleson became commander at San Antonio
Appointed Sam Houston as overall commander of the Texas military forces

61. The Attack on San Antonio
As the siege of San Antonio dragged on and no fighting was going on, many men started leaving to go back home to their farms, etc
Grass Fight
Erastus “Deaf” Smith (Burleson’s scout) told Texans in San Antonio that Mexican soldiers were bringing horses and mules to San Antonio…mules were carrying silver with which to pay the Mexican soldiers
Texans attacked and figured out that the mules were only carrying grass to feed the Mexican horses
Texans were humiliated

62. Attack on San Antonio, con’t
Then the Texans heard that Cos’s troops were low on supplies and not very organized
Ben Milam asked the Texans “Who will go into San Antonio with old Ben Milam?”
About 300 of the remaining 500 men did and attacked on the Mexican soldiers
Hendrick Arnold (mixed-race free man) led Milam’s men into battle
Ben Milam was wounded and died

63. Attack on San Antonio, con’t
The fighting was fierce; lasted 5 days
Fighting stopped when Cos surrendered
Cos agreed to give Texans all of the money, supplies, arms, and property held by the Mexicans in San Antonio
Agreed to support the Constitution of 1824
In exchange, Cos was allowed to take his remaining soldiers out of San Antonio
Texans then thought that the problems were solved…but Santa Anna started gathering an army south of the Rio Grande River to deal with the Texas Revolutionaries