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SECTION 2 The Texas TEKS 1A, 6E, 10A, 10B, 10C, 11A, Revolution 11B, 12D, 23D What You Will Learn… If YOU were there... Main Ideas You are the father of a large farm family in Missouri. There is not 1. Many American settlers moved enough land for everyone, so you’re looking for another opportu- to Texas after Mexico achieved independence from Spain. nity. One day, a Mexican government official comes to town. He is 2. Texans revolted against looking for people to settle in Texas. The Mexican government is Mexican rule and established an independent nation. offering generous tracts of land to colonists. However, you have to become a citizen of Mexico and follow Mexican laws. The Big Idea Would you decide to move your family In 1836, Texas gained its to Texas? Why? independence from Mexico.

Key Terms and People Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, p. 350 Building Background What do you already know about empresarios, p. 350 the history of Texas? Many towns in Texas have streets or neighbor- Stephen F. Austin, p. 351 hoods named after early settlers and heros of the Texas Revolution. Antonio López de Santa Anna, p. 351 Travis, Austin, Bowie, and Houston are all early Texas heros. Use the Alamo, p. 352 knowledge you already have about Texas and Texas history to help you Battle of San Jacinto, p. 352 understand this section.

American Settlers Move to Texas Use the annotation tools in your eBook to take notes on the events Mexico had a long, unprotected border that stretched from Texas that led to the independence of to California. Mexico’s Spanish rulers worried constantly about Texas. attacks from neighbors. They also were concerned about threats from within Mexico. Their fears were justified. Mexicans moved to overthrow Span- ish rule in the early 1800s. In September 1810 Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Mexican priest, led a rebellion of about 80,000 poor Indians and mestizos, or people of Indian and Spanish ances- try. They hoped that if Mexico became independent from the Span- ish monarchy, their lives would improve. Hidalgo’s revolt failed, but the rebellion he started grew. In 1821 Mexico became independent. In 1824 it adopted a republican constitution that declared rights for all Mexicans. The new Mexi- can government contracted with empresarios, or agents, to bring settlers to Texas. They paid the agents in land.

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Settling Texas Stephen F. Austin (standing, in black coat) and other settlers were empresarios—they received land from the Mexican govern- ment for the purpose of bringing settlers to Texas. Their holdings were guaranteed with a contract like the one below. Why do you think the Mexican government wanted to attract settlers to Texas?

In 1821 one young agent, Stephen F. Austin, started a Texas colony on the lower Colorado River. The first 300 families became known as the Old Three Hundred. Austin’s successful colony attracted other agents, and American settlers flocked to the region. The Anglo-American settlers became known as Texians and were often Protestant. The Mexi- Texans Revolt against Mexico can residents were called Tejanos, and were In October 1835 the Mexican army tried to usually Catholic. The two groups lived in remove a cannon from the town of Gonza- separate communities, but eventually Texas les, Texas. Rebels stood next to the cannon. developed a culture that was distinct from the Their flag read, “Come and take it.” In the rest of ­Mexico as well as the United States. following battle, the rebels won. The Texas In exchange for free land, settlers had to Revolution, also known as the Texas War for obey Mexican laws. But some settlers often Independence, had begun. Academic explicitly ignored these laws. For example, Vocabulary despite the ban on slavery, many brought explicit fully slaves. Concerned that it was losing control Texas Independence revealed without vagueness of the growing American population, Mexico On March 2, 1836, Texans declared their responded. In 1830, it banned further settle- independence from Mexico and adopted a ment by Americans. Angry about the new constitution. The new Republic of Texas was law, many Texans began to think of gaining born. Both the declaration and the constitu- independence from Mexico. tion were modeled after the U.S. documents. Meanwhile, Mexico had come under The Texas constitution, however, made slav- the rule of General Antonio López de Santa ery legal. Anna. He soon suspended Mexico’s republi- Delegates to the new Texas government can constitution and turned his attention to chose politician David Burnet as president and the growing unrest in Texas. Lorenzo de Zavala as vice president. Another revolutionary, Sam Houston, was named Reading Check Finding Main Ideas Why did to head the Texas army. Austin went to the settlers move to Texas? United States to seek money and troops.

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Battle at the Alamo Before dawn on March 6, the Mexican The Texans’ actions angered the Mexican army attacked. Despite heavy losses, the government. Santa Anna began assembling a army overcame the Texans. All the defend- force of thousands to stop the rebellion. The ers of the Alamo were killed, though some force included both Texians and Tejanos. civilians survived. Following a later battle, at A hastily created army of Texas volun- Goliad, Santa Anna ordered the execution of teers had been clashing with Mexican troops 350 prisoners who had surrendered. Texans for months. Under Edward Burleson, a Texian were enraged by the killings. force took the town of San Antonio. It then occupied the Alamo, a former mission near Battle of San Jacinto San Antonio that became an important bat- Santa Anna now chased the untrained forces tle site in the Texas Revolution. Texas settler of Sam Houston. Outnumbered, the Texans Jim Bowie and volunteers from the United fled east. Finally, they reorganized at the San States, including frontiersman Davy Crock- Jacinto River, near Galveston Bay. There, the ett joined the Alamo’s defense. Texans took a stand. The rebels, numbering about 200, hoped Santa Anna was confident of victory, but for reinforcements from the army that Sam he was careless in choosing the site for his Houston was assembling. For almost two camp. On the afternoon of April 21, 1836, weeks, from February 23 to March 6, 1836, while Mexican troops were resting, Hous- the Texans held out against the large Mexican ton’s forces swarmed the camp, shouting, force. Colonel William Travis managed to get a “Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!” message to other Texans through enemy lines: The fighting ended swiftly. Santa Anna’s VIDEO army was destroyed. In the Battle of San Independence I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patrio- “ Jacinto , the Texans captured Santa Anna and for Texas tism, and everything dear to the American forced him to sign a treaty giving Texas its character, to come to our aid with all dispatch independence. [speed] . . . VICTORY OR DEATH.” —William Travis, from a letter written at the Alamo, 1836

The Texas Revolution

Claimed by U.S., Texas, and Mexico UNITED STATES DISPUTED TERRITORY

LOUISIANA Co lo (1812) ra do Riv er REPUBLIC OF TEXAS The Alamo February– March 1836 NA San Jacinto Mexican army AN TA San Antonio AN April 1836 S N Mexican victory Goliad E Texan army March 1836 W R io S Texan victory G 95˚W r a U

n R 0 50 100 Miles d R E Gulf of e A 0 50 100 Kilometers Mexico MEXICO

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An Independent Nation republic organized the Texas Rangers to guard Sam Houston was the hero of the new its long frontier from Mexican and Native independent nation of Texas. The republic American attacks. Finally, in 1844 Texas and created a new town named Houston and Mexico signed an armistice. Mexico never made it the capital. Voters elected Sam Hous- recognized Texas’ independence, however. ton as president. Stephen F. Austin became Reading Check Finding Main Ideas What secretary of state. issues did the new nation of Texas face? To increase the population, Texas offered land grants. American settlers came from SUMMARY AND PREVIEW American set- nearby southern states, often bringing slaves tlers in Texas challenged the Mexican gov- with them to help grow and harvest cotton. ernment and won their independence. In Most Texans hoped that the United the next section you will learn about the States would annex, or take control of, Texas, war between Mexico and the United States. making it a state. Some in Congress wanted to annex Texas, but President Andrew Jack- son did not pursue the issue. Although he Section 2 Assessment ONLINE QUIZ wanted to annex the area, he was concerned that admitting Texas as a slave state would Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People upset the fragile balance of free and slave 1. a. Identify What role did Stephen F. Austin play in the states. The president also did not want to settlement of Texas? have a war with Mexico over Texas. b. Make Inferences Why did Mexican officials want to bring Finally, Jackson did recognize Texas as an more settlers to Texas? c. Evaluate Do you think Mexico’s requirements for foreign independent nation. France did so in 1839. immigrants were reasonable or unreasonable? Explain. Britain, which wanted to halt U.S. expan- 2. a. Describe What were the important battles in the War for sion, recognized Texas in 1840. Texas Independence? Why was each important? The Mexican government, however, did b. Make Inferences Why did Texas offer land rantsg to settlers? not recognize Santa Anna’s forced hand­- c. Predict What problems might the Republic of Texas face? over of Texas. For this reason, in 1837 the Critical Thinking 3. Sequencing Review your notes on American settlement in Texas. Then copy the graphic organizer below and use it to show the significant events in the history of the Republic of Texas.

Significant Events 1. Houston is founded and made the capital. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Focus on Writing On March 6, 1836, Texans fought and lost the Battle of the Alamo. A rallying cry for 4. Explaining the Texas Revolution Make a list of the most the Texans at the Battle of San Jacinto was important players and events in the story of how Texas gained “Remember the Alamo!” The single star of the flag represents the Republic of Texas, independence from Mexico. Consider also how you will also called the Lone Star Republic. ­present information about these people and events to your film’s audience.W hat words, images, and sounds will make the Why do you think “Remember the Alamo!” was a rallying cry for Texas troops at San Jacinto? story of the revolution come alive for the audience?

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