Revolution and Republic

THE BEGINNING

• Tensions between Mexican government and Texians (Texans, Mexicans) grew too much at Gonzales on Oct. 2,1835
• Soon the colonist had enough and challenged Mexican soldiers to“come and take it.”
• Few days after that, the colonists surprised the Mexican forces @ Presidio La Bahia in Goliad.
• Texas revolution started

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

• Nov. 1835, delegates met @ San Felipe to discuss future for Texas. The group (the consultation) agreed to form an interim government, making Henry smith governor and Sam Houston as head of the army.
• At end of year, Texians received a boost in morale after taking San Antonio from Mexican general Cos.
• For a small time period, the surrender of Antonio and the departure of Cos’s army let the Texians believe that they had won. But Santa Anna ( president of Mexico) wasn’t done fighting.

THE FIGHT GOES ON...

• Texian fighters were weak and disorganized.
• By Feb. Their government disintegrated and Texian forces were getting thin.
• Expecting that Santa Anna would take months to make a campaign against Texas, the Texian military leaders in San Antonio were slow to prepare the city against a fight.
• When word of arriving Mexicans came to them, the city’s few defenders took refuge in the Alamo.

THE ALAMO

• William Travis led the effort at the Alamo, but his tiny group was unable to beat Santa Anna ‘s Mexican army. After two weeks of fighting, the Alamo went to Santa Anna and his army.
• Barely any survivors remained after the end of the battle on Mar. 6, 1836.
• The Texian cause would use the defeat as the morale-boosting cry of “REMEMBER THE BLOODY ALAMO.” to inspire their army in future battles.

TRYING TO END THE WAR

• Texian forces suffered another major blow at Goliad a bit later in Mar.
• But about a month later, as some of the commoners fled in what is now known as the Runaway Scrape, the Texians pulled off a major upset. “REMEMBER GOLIAD”, they yelled. “REMEMBER THE ALAMO”.
• Sam Houston forces defeated Santa Anna’s army in a bloody battle at San Jacinto.
• The Texas Revolution was over in less than a year, and a new government led by Anglos emerged.
• But peace with Mexico would not come with the end of the war.

FORMING PEACE WITH MEXICO

• When delegates drafted and signed the Texas Declaration of Independence @ Washington on the Brazos, Mar. 2, 1836, the document was based off of Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration.
• The constitution of the Texas Republic that was ratified in Sept. 1836, followed the pattern of the U.S Constitution, with the important difference that it’s specifically made slavery legal.
• But despite the similarities in the documents and reasons for the revolution, not all Americans were anxious to annex Texas, in large part because of the colossal population of slaves in Texas threatened to tip the cautious balance between north and south.

THE END OF OUR STORY

• Although the revolution was over, the republic was still under peril from Mexico.
• The war drained the economy, and Texas needed other countries (most importantly the U.S ) to recognize their new nation for trade. President Andrew Jackson, a friend of Sam Houston, ignored protests and officially recognized Texas in 1837, despite the trade agreements made with the U.S.
• President Andrew Jackson, a friend of Sam Houston, ignored protests and officially recognized Texas in 1837, despite the trade agreements made with the U.S.
• Later with other countries, Texas’ time as a republic was tumultuous. In the ten years of the republic, Texans had to cope with invasions by the Mexican army, hostilities with Comanches and other Indian groups, economic turmoil, and lack of funds to run the government. Texans were overjoyed when the U.S Congress finally agreed to annex Texas in 1845.

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