Chapter 13: Manifest Destiny Section 2: The Texas Revolution

Today we’re going to look at Mexicans and Americans And how one group – especially the immigrants are causing all kinds of problems. No one wants these immigrants to be there – they should go back home to their own country. They always break laws – they’re all a bunch of criminals. They don’t understand how to live in their new country. They take advantage of money and tax situations in their new country. C

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Around 1800 There was some Spanish land near the Louisiana Territory called Tejas. Parts of this land had great forests. Parts had great farmland. Parts had huge grazing land for cattle. There were some good rivers leading to the Gulf of Mexico. C

But not many Tejanos lived in Mexico (Spanish people who lived in Mexico) Comanche, Apache, and other tribes fought against more Spanish people settling in Texas The Spanish wanted more Spanish settlers to move there – to help fight the Native Americans – and keep out Americans C

They just couldn’t find any Spanish settlers who would move there So they started letting some Americans come – like Moses Austin and his son Stephen Austin. But in 1820: Mexico gained its Independence from Spain. Mexico wouldn’t let them have this land for free like the Spanish did. The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be!  And Cinco de Mayo is not an American holiday, but it should be.  Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810.  And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico. C

The American settlers had to agree to live by certain rules: They had to become Mexican citizens. The had to become members of the Catholic Church. Stephen Austin even required that his settler families were moral, would work hard, and would not drink. C

But more and more Americans moved into Texas (The Mexican Territory of Texas) It got to the point where Mexico said there were too many Americans immigrating to their land. Very few of these immigrants spoke the Mexican language – and refused to learn. Mexicans thought the Americans were difficult to live with (they always wanted special treatment). Americans seemed unwilling to adapt to Mexican laws. C

The Mexican Government decided to crack down on all these immigrants They tried to stop American immigration. The Mexicans made Texan settlers pay taxes for the first time. They sent more Mexican troops to Texas to enforce the new rules. C

There’s talk of a rebellion And eventually there is one – between American settlers in Mexico’s Texas – and the Mexican government. There actually ends up being a war between the two C

One of the more famous places they fought: At an old mission near where San Antonio is today. About 200 members of the Texas army fought against 2000 Mexican forces. They actually held them off during a 13 day siege (36), but eventually ran out of ammunition and supplies. The battle cry of this war became: “Remember the Alamo” Surrounding and trying to capture something The Alamo - San Antonio, TX C The Alamo Site, History, Pictures, News, & More

Another famous battle took place at San Jacinto In this battle half the Mexican army died in an 18 minute span. Mexican General Santa Anna was forced to sign a peace treaty – giving Texas its freedom, and its independence. C

Texas became: The Lone Star Republic It was it’s own country (even though it kept asking the U.S. if it could be added as a new state. The U.S. kept saying no – it would probably become a slave state. That would make one more slave than free states. Mexico would probably end up wanting to go to war with the United States – and not just Texas. C

So it’s true about Mexicans and Americans And how one group – especially the immigrants are causing all kinds of problems. No one wants these immigrants to be there – they should go back home to their own country. They always break laws – they’re all a bunch of criminals. They don’t understand how to live in their new country. They take advantage of money and tax situations in their new country. C