1. The Alamo: What were they thinking?

2. Sam Houston orders Jim Bowie to destroy the Alamo
Sam Houston wants the Alamo destroyed. Why? Turn and talk to your neighbor, write your response in your journal and be prepared to share it with the class.
He didn’t want it to become a point of conflict, which is exactly what eventually happened. "You can plainly see that the Alamo never was built by a military people as a fortress,” Sam Houston

3. Governor Smith orders William B. Travis to defend the Alamo
Governor Henry Smith ordered William B. Travis to San Antonio to defend the Alamo. Why? Turn and talk to your neighbor, write your response in your journal and be prepared to share it with the class.
Smith, after talking to others who were there, thought it would be unwise to abandon San Antonio and the Alamo needed to be fortified to protect the city.

4. The Alamo Battleground
Note the chapel (D -- the Alamo we recognize today) and other points that might be familiar.

5. Santa Anna brings a force of 5,000 men
People of San Antonio warned Travis that he couldn’t defend the Alamo against 5,000 Mexican troops, but he stayed. WHAT WAS HE THINKING? Turn and talk to your neighbor, write your response in your journal and be prepared to share it with the class.
In a letter to Governor Smith Travis notes of the Alamo: "It is more important to occupy this post than I imagined when I last saw you. It is the key to Texas "

6. Travis’s Letter
I am besieged with a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. I have sustained a considerable Bombardment and cannonade for 24 hours and have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded surrender at discretion, otherwise the garrison is to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken. I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, and our flag still waves proudly from the wall. I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism, and everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid with all dispatch. The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily and will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible and die like a soldier who never forgets which is due his honor and that of his country. VICTORY OR DEATH.
Have hard copies of this letter for students.

7. To the people of Texas and All Americans in the World --
Travis sends a letter to the world seeking help for the men at the Alamo, signing off with “Victory or Death!” What does he mean by his closing statement?
Travis was clear that his small army would defeat Santa Anna or they would all die.

8. The Travis Letter How does Travis describe his situation?
Does Travis intend to surrender?
What is he calling for in his letter?
What does he mean when he says, “Victory or Death!”?
What was Travis thinking? Turn and talk to your neighbor, record your response in your journal and be prepared to discuss.
In desperation, Travis wants the people of Texas to know that they need help.

9. Santa Anna Comes to San Antonio
Santa Anna sets up at San Fernando Church where he can watch the Alamo
He ordered the red flag of “no quarter” to be flown
What was Santa Anna thinking?
The Texans should surrender or die. There would be no prisoners.

10. Myth or Reality?
According to stories, Travis, knowing that victory was most likely NOT at hand, drew a line in the sand and told everyone who was still with him to cross the line. All but one did.
What was Travis thinking? What were the men thinking?
Travis was sure by now that everyone would die. He wanted to give his men a chance to leave as it was clear this was going to be suicide.

11. Did Travis Draw a Line in the Sand?
This will generate difference responses and we have no way of knowing what’s right or wrong. But it makes for interesting discussion.

13. The Fall of the Alamo
At dawn on March 6, 1836, Santa Anna ordered his troops to attack the Alamo.
The Mexican Army had to attack three times before gaining access to the garrison.
By 8 am it was over. All of the Texan fighters were dead. Women, children, and slaves were allowed to leave the mission.

14. Col. Francisco Ruiz, Alcalda of San Antonio
Ruiz wrote a report to Santa Anna in the hours after the fall of the Alamo
Ruiz wrote about Travis, Crockett and Bowie
Ruiz was the Alcalde of San Antonio. Explain to the students that even though he worked for Santa Anna, he was sympathetic to the Texas cause.

15. Analyze the Ruiz Report
Author
Place and Time
Prior Knowledge
Audience
Reason
The Main Idea
Significance

16. Answer these Questions about the Ruiz Report
In your own words, describe the charges on the fortress as told by Ruiz. What happened to the Mexican soldiers who were making the charges? Explain why so many of them might have died in the charge.
What was Ruiz ordered to do while the battle was going on?
What did Santa Anna specifically request of Ruiz after the battle?
Ask students to note in the report where Ruiz shows his support for the Texans.

17. Ruiz Report questions What happened to Travis, Bowie and Crockett?
How did the Mexican army deal with the bodies of the dead for each side?
According to Ruiz, how did the Mexican army view the defenders of the Alamo?

18. The Mystery of Davy Crockett’s Death
Ruiz said he died outside of the Alamo
Myth said he died swinging his rifle at Mexican Soldiers as they stormed the Alamo
Later diaries report he survived the battle, was taken to Santa Anna, then executed.
What do YOU think?
Responses will vary.

19. How did the Alamo affect the Texas Revolution?
What impact did the Fall of the Alamo have on the rest of the Revolution?
What became the rallying cry of soldiers in the Revolution after the fall of the Alamo?
Santa Anna hoped to prove that it was futile to try to fight him. Did he prove his point with the Battle of the Alamo?
Chances are excellent that Santa Anna enraged the Texans and made the fight even more difficult. The Battle of the Alamo really rallied the Texas troops. It also weakened Santa Anna’s troops as he spent a lot of time and lost many soldiers waiting out the Texans.