Name:______Date:______Period:______

Westward Expansion: Texas Annexation Timeline

Task: In small groups, you will be asked to create a piece of a timeline about Texas’ “road to independence”. For your activity, you will read the document assigned to your group, answer the fill in the blanks on your worksheet, and create your poster. You will present your posters to the class at the end of the period and they will be displayed in the classroom for your classmates to see!

Your poster must include the following:

 The name of the event and year (s) it occurred

 A choice of your own, a paragraph summarizing the main ideas of the event OR bulleted list of the chronological order of the events. This should include the cause of the event, an explanation of the event itself and the result/outcome. You must use all the names and terms listed below your group. BE AS DETAILED AS POSSIBLE AND USE YOUR OWN WORDS!

Group 1: Group 4: 1820s: Stephen Austin leads Americans into Texas March 1836: Battle of the Alamo April 1836: Battle of San Jacinto

Words/names to use: Words/names to use: Farming, Stephen Austin, Mexico, Texas Independence, Texas, Mexico, Santa Anna, Sam Houston, siege,

Alamo, Lone Star Republic Group 2: 1830s-35s: Mexico tightens control over Texas Group 5: Word/ names to use: 1836: Texas wins independence Santa Anna, dictator, Texas, Mexico Words/names to use: Independence, Texas, Mexico, Sam Houston Group 3:

1835: Texans declare their independence Group 6:

1845 United States annexes Texas Words/ names to use: Independence, Texas, Mexico, Santa Anna, San Antonio, Sam Words/names to use: Houston Annexation (for and against and why) North and South, expansion of slavery, Texas, Mexico

Group One:

Stephen Austin leads Americans into Texas

Texas was a part of Mexico under Spanish control. The Mexican government allowed Americans to settle in Texas. The Mexicans also sold land to America at a cheap price in exchange for American settlers agreed to become

Mexican citizens. Stephen Austin lead many Americans to settle in Texas. What did the Mexicans hope the

Americans would help with?

Help develop land and control Indian Attacks.

Group Two:

Mexico tightens control over Texas;

The Mexican government was not enforcing their laws in Texas at first. In 1830, Mexico feared that Texas would revolt against Mexican rule. Many American settlers who lived in Texas felt more connected with the U.S; both spoke English, practiced Protestantism and had similar customs. Mexico closed Texas to American settlement in

1830. They banned slavery and forced Texans to worship the Catholic Church. This angered the settlers as they felt threatened by the Mexican troops who came north to enforce them. In 1835, tensions got worse. Military dictator Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna came to power. Why would Santa Anna want to drive out the Americans? They were taking over, not following laws- fear of revolt. Group Three:

Texans declare their independence:

Texans, along with Mexicans did not like Santa Anna’s rise to power. Stephen Austin and many throughout Texas fought many battles for their independence from Mexico. In October 1835, Texans in the town of Gonzales clashed with Mexican troops.

They forced the troops to withdraw. Inspired by that victory, Stephen Austin vowed to see “Texas forever free from Mexican domination”. In December of 1835, Texans won a military battle in San Antonio Three months later, on March 2, 1836, Texans declare their independence. They rename themselves the Republic of Texas and elected their first president Sam Houston. One major problem was that Texans still had to defeat the Mexican army to fully become independent. What role did Stephen

Austin play in gaining Texas Independence? He promised them he would free Texas from Mexican rule.

Group Four:

Battle of the Alamo / Battle of San Jacinto

After the Battle in San Antonio, many Texans fighters did not believe they had a chance against the Mexican army. Those

who remained, retreated to an old Spanish mission called the Alamo. This would quickly become a fort for them. Colonel William Travis had only 157 men but were experienced fighters. Texans were low on food, water, medicine and ammunition.

Beginning on February 23, 1826, 6,000 Mexican troops began to siege on the Alamo. This will for twelve days, but the fort

held strong and they held off the Mexican troops. Finally, on March 6, a Mexican cannon fire broke through the Alamo walls.

Mexican troops stormed in killing all but five Texans inside. Those five will later be executed on Santa Anna’s orders. After

the slaughter of the Alamo, Texans wanted revenge. The slogan “remember the Alamo” was used as a battle cry. Many

Texans and the United States joined the Texan cause. On April 21, 1836, Houston’s army defeated the Mexican army in the

Battle of San Jacinto. Houston forced Santa Anna to surrender and grant Texas its independence. The new nation of Texas

was then nicknamed the Lone Star Republic Mexico will never officially recognize this. Why do you think Santa Anna

surrendered? He was forced to after Houston defeated him in the Battle of San Jacinto. Group Five:

Texas wins independence:

Although Mexico never officially recognizes Texas as independent, Texas elects Sam Houston as the first president of the Republic of Texas. Houston faced many problems though. The country was in debt, has no deal with the

Indian attacks in small communities and the fact that Mexico does not recognize their independence. Houston believes the only solution to his problem is to be annexed (or added) to the United States. Why do you think Mexico refused to recognize the independence of Texas? They wanted to keep the land and believed it was theirs.

Group Six:

United States annexes Texas:

Americans were divided about whether to annex Texas. Southerners generally favored it because they will gain

land and Texas would allow slavery. Northerners did not favor annexation because they did NOT want slavery

to expand. It would also likely lead to a war with Mexico. Despite many objections, the U.S. annexed Texas in

1845. Texas becomes the 28th state. What is the impact of Texas being annexed to the United States? It will lead

to war with Mexico.