1. Independence of Texas

2. Clash of Cultures
In the early 1800’s, Texas was actually part of Mexico’s Northern Frontier
But since the Spanish controlled the Texas Territory, they wanted to promote the land to outsiders and get people to settle there

4. Clash of Cultures The Spanish then began to give out land grants
The first land grant went to a businessman from Missouri by the name of Moses Austin
He agreed to bring a number of settlers to Texas, but died before he could organize them

5. Stephen F. Austin
After Moses died, his son Stephen F. Austin recruited 300 settlers to live in Texas
These were called the
Old Three Hundred
Many received 960 Acres

6. Clash of Cultures
Mexico WANTED settlers from many places, not just the U.S., to settle in Texas
Mexico passed laws giving cheap land to those who promised the following:
Learn Spanish
Convert to Catholicism
Obey Mexican Law

7. Disobedience
Most Texas settlers continued to ‘be Americans’ and declined to adopt Mexican ways
By 1830, there were more Americans than Mexicans in Texas
Mexico then forbid any further immigration to Texas from the United States

8. Important Meeting
Angered by this, Texans selected Stephen F. Austin traveled to Mexico City to speak to Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna- Texans wanted to have more American settlers and become a separate state
Santa Anna lifted the settlement ban but disagreed with the second command

9. Why did the Mexican Government decide to stop Americans from settling in Texas?

10. Struggle for Independence
In 1835, unrest grew among Texans and Mexicans and occasionally resulted in open conflict
Santa Anna sent then sent an army into Texas to punish any Texan criticizing him
His first stop was at the city of Gonzales

11. Gonzales Mexican troops tried to seize a cannon held by Texans
Texans refused to give it up and wrote “Come And Take It” on a white flag on the cannon
The Texans then drove back the Mexican troops
This was considered the first fight for Texan Independence

13. The Battle Continues
After the Texans were able to push the Mexicans back, the Texans called on volunteers to join their fight
Offered free land to anyone who would help
The Texans then liberated San Antonio from Mexican control
Many left to go home because they thought the war was over

14. The Battle of the Alamo

15. The Battle of the Alamo
Furious, Santa Anna marched north to retake the settlement of San Antonio
Only a small force of Texans were to be found. They barricaded themselves in a nearby mission called the Alamo
The numbers: 180 vs 2,500

16. Texan Leaders at the Alamo
Davey Crockett
Jim Bowie
Commander William B. Travis

17. Battle of the Alamo The Texans had cannons, but lacked gun power
Everyone in the Alamo held off the better-armed Mexican force for 12 days
Once the walls of the Alamo collapsed, the Mexican soldiers killed almost everyone inside

19. The Alamo
Santa Anna stated, “The Texans fought more like devils than like men”
The Battle of the Alamo actually bought Texans much needed time
While the Battle of the Alamo was going on, the Texan leaders declared independence from Mexico and established the Republic of Texas

20. Texas Declaration of Independence
“The people of Texas, in solemn convention assembled, appealing to a candid world for the necessities of our condition, do herby resolve and declare that our political connection with the Mexican nation has forever ended; and that the people of Texas do now constitute a free, sovereign, and independent republic”

21. Sam Houston
When the declaration was completed, Texas named Sam Houston their new chief of Texas forces

22. Goliad Massacre
To prevent any forts being overrun by Mexicans, Houston ordered the troops at Goliad to abandon their posts
Mexican troops captured them all soon after
Santa Anna ordered over 200 to be executed a few days later

23. The Battle of San Jacinto
Commander Houston gathered 900 troops at San Jacinto (Present-day Houston) because Santa Anna and 1,300 others were camped nearby
Texans did a surprise attack on the camp killing 600+ and capturing around 700, including Santa Anna
Santa Anna then signed treaty that recognized the independence of Texas

24. The Lone Star State

25. Question of Annexation
Just like with the addition of Missouri, adding a slave state to the union would create an imbalance to the Union
To fix this problem, the United States demanded to gain control over the Oregon country from Britain
On December 29, 1845, Texas officially became a state of the United States