1. Questions to think about:
1. Why did the Mexican government encourage Americans to settle in Texas?
2. Why did tensions eventually develop between the Mexican rulers and American settlers in Texas?
3. For what reason did Stephen F. Austin visit Mexico City in late 1833?
What was the result of his visit?
4. What occurred at the Alamo? What was its significance?
5. Why did Texas’s request for annexation to the United States cause controversy?
6. What event took place on December 29, 1845?

2. “Don’t Mess with Texas”: The Story of Texas Independence2

3. Mexican Settlement in the West

4. Mexican Settlement in the West
Mexico became independent in 1824
Present day states of TX, AZ, NM, CA, UT, CO
Mission System
Small population (mix of natives and mexican)

5. Mexico Invites U.S. Settlers
Encouraged American farmers to settle in Texas
Land Grants given to empresarios
Empresarios brought settlers (cheap land)
Settlers had to obey Mexican laws
- had to become Roman Catholic
- no slavery
Stephen F. Austin (1825)

6. Tensions Grow Among Texans
Most Texians were Protestant, spoke English, had cultural differences, and brought slaves
Disobeyed Mexican laws
In 1830, Mexico closed its borders
Anglo population doubled (45,000 by 1835)

7. Santa Anna: “The Napoleon of the West”

8. The Texas Revolution Texians rebelled in 1835 and wanted independence
1835 First shots of the revolution were fired at the Battle of Gonzales

10. The Alamo
1835 Texians succeeded in driving the Mexicans from San Antonio
Santa Anna led a Mexican army of 4000 on a forced march through winter to crush the rebellion
Texians made their stand at The Alamo (187 men)

11. Three Roads to the Alamo

12. Davy Crockett Famous frontiersman and congressman from TN
Greatest shot in America
Anti-Jackson
Went to Texas to start over
‘You can all go to Hell, I’m going to Texas”

13. David vs. Davy

14. Jim Bowie Louisiana gambler, duelist, slave-trader, and adventurer
The Bowie Knife
Traveled to Texas to get rich (married a wealthy Mexican woman)

15. Bowie and his Knife

16. Col. William Barrett Travis
Abandoned his family in Alabama
Traveled to Texas to seek glory and fight for independence
Commander of the Alamo
Vain, stubborn, dramatic

19. Battle of the Alamo: March 6, 1836

30. Massacre at Goliad

31. Sam Houston From TN Wounded at Horseshoe Bend
Lawyer and former governor
Protégé of Jackson
Lived with Cherokee
Commanded Texian army

33. Battle of San Jacinto (April 26, 1836)
Following the Alamo and Goliad, Houston’s army retreated east
Ambushed Santa Anna at San Jacinto while the Mexicans were taking a siesta
Yellow Rose of Texas
Crushing victory for Texas
18 minute battle

37. The Lone Star Republic September 1836: Texas became independent
Republic of Texas (Lone Star Republic)
Sam Houston became 1st Governor of Texas
1845: Texas later annexed into the United States as the 28th state

40. Questions to think about:
1. Why did the Mexican government encourage Americans to settle in Texas?
2. Why did tensions eventually develop between the Mexican rulers and American settlers in Texas?
3. For what reason did Stephen F. Austin visit Mexico City in late 1833?
What was the result of his visit?
4. What occurred at the Alamo? What was its significance?
5. Why did Texas’s request for annexation to the United States cause controversy?
6. What event took place on December 29, 1845?