Chapter 13 section 2 ------The Republic of Texas

Why did American settlers in Texas come into conflict with Mexico?

1821

• Spain granted an American, Moses Austin, the right to set up a colony in Texas.

• Mexico gained independence from Spain.

• Moses Austin’s son Stephen obtained Mexico’s permission to carry out his father’s grant.

• Austin gathered about 300 families, who began settling in Texas. These settlers agreed to become

Mexican citizens and worship in the Roman Catholic Church.

1830 • About 20,000 Americans were living in Texas. By this time, few kept the agreement with Mexico. Most

felt little loyalty to Mexico. Most were Protestant.

• Mexico barred any more American settlers. It was feared that Americans would try to make Texas a part

of the United States. The Mexican government began to enforce the old law that required Texans to

worship in the Catholic Church as well as laws banning slavery.

1833

• General Antonio López de Santa Anna came to power in Mexico. Two years later he became dictator, a

ruler with absolute power and authority. Americans in Texas felt that Santa Anna would drive them

from Mexico and that they must do something.

1835

Americans in Mexico had the support of many Tejanos, Mexicans who lived in Texas. The Tejanos

wanted Santa Anna out of power. Texans in the town of Gonzales clashed with Mexican troops, forcing

the Mexicans to withdraw. Two months later, Texans occupied San Antonio. Santa Anna marched north

with a large army.

1836

• A group of Texans declared independence for the Republic of Texas and made Sam Houston commander

of the army.

How did the siege of the Alamo become a rallying cry for Texans?

• By the time Santa Anna reached San Antonio with 6,000 troops, about 150 Texans had taken up

positions in an old Spanish mission called the Alamo. The Texans had little ammunition, food, water, or

medicine.

• On February 23, 1836, Mexican troops began a siege—enemy forces try to capture a position by

surrounding and bombarding it.

• The American commander, William Travis, sent a message asking for aid. He sent scouts to find

volunteers and food. About 40 men joined the fighters in the Alamo.

• The siege continued for 12 days. Finally, on March 6, a Mexican cannon shattered the mission walls.

Thousands of Mexican soldiers poured over the walls, shouting “Viva Santa Anna!” About 180 Texans

and almost 1,500 Mexicans lay dead.

• The fall of the Alamo ignited cries for revenge. “Remember the Alamo!” became a rallying cry as

Texans fought for

How did Texas become an independent nation?

• A few weeks after the Alamo, Mexican troops killed several hundred Texas soldiers after they had

surrendered at Goliad. This action made Texans furious.

• Sam Houston worked to turn the volunteers into an effective army.

• On April 21, 1836, Texans surprised Santa Anna and his army near the San Jacinto River. In the Battle of

San Jacinto, the outnumbered Texans defeated the Mexicans. The next day, the Texans captured Santa

Anna and forced him to sign a treaty granting Texas independence.

• Texans nicknamed their new nation the Lone Star Republic. They wrote a constitution modeled after the

United States Constitution. Sam Houston was elected president of the Republic of Texas.

•

What challenges did the Lone Star Republic face?

• The government of Mexico refused to accept the treaty Santa Anna had signed. For Mexicans, Texas

was still part of their country.

• Texas was nearly bankrupt.

• Comanches and other Indian groups threatened to attack Texan communities.

• To face these challenges, most Texans thought Texas should become part of the United States. In the

United States, people were divided over whether to annex, or add on, Texas.

• White southerners generally favored the idea.

• Antislavery northerners opposed it.

• Andrew Jackson thought annexation would cause war with Mexico; therefore, Congress refused to

annex Texas.