THE TEXAS WAR OF INDEPENDENCE TEXICAN vs MEXICAN MASON vs MASON 1 | Page Contents PREFACE ........................................................................................................................................................ 6 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 6 PART I BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................... 8 CULTURAL DIFFERENCES ........................................................................................................................... 8 Spanish Culture ..................................................................................................................................... 8 American Culture .................................................................................................................................. 8 The Spanish Failure to Settle Texas ...................................................................................................... 9 EARLY SETTLEMENT OF TEXAS .................................................................................................................. 9 LaSalle’s Colony at Matagorda .............................................................................................................. 9 Squatters and Filibusters .................................................................................................................... 10 Mexican Independence and the Battle of Medina ............................................................................. 10 Empresarios and Legal Immigration (from The Texas Handbook.) ..................................................... 11 Mexican Independence ....................................................................................................................... 11 The Constitution of 1824 .................................................................................................................... 11 Concerns of the Mexican Government and the Fredonian Rebellion ................................................ 12 The Law of April 6, 1830 ..................................................................................................................... 12 Native Americans (Indians) ................................................................................................................. 13 Formal Expression of Grievances ........................................................................................................ 14 Conflict at Anahuac ............................................................................................................................. 17 Causes of the Revolution .................................................................................................................... 18 PART II - THE WAR ....................................................................................................................................... 19 Enter Santa Anna .................................................................................................................................... 19 Austin Returns and Begins Participating in the Revolution .................................................................... 19 THE EARLY SUCCESSES IN SOUTH TEXAS ................................................................................................ 20 “Come and Take It” ............................................................................................................................. 20 On To Bexar (San Antonio) .................................................................................................................. 21 SANTA ANNA’S VICTORIES OVER THE TEXANS ....................................................................................... 23 SAN JACINTO AND INDEPENDENCE ........................................................................................................ 31 The Battle Develops ............................................................................................................................ 31 The Battle ............................................................................................................................................ 33 Legalizing Independence ..................................................................................................................... 35 Sealing the Deal? ................................................................................................................................. 35 APPENDIX A MASONRY / FREEMASONRY ................................................................................................... 38 Early Masons ........................................................................................................................................... 38 2 | Page Masons or Freemasons? ......................................................................................................................... 39 Characteristics of Freemasonry .............................................................................................................. 39 Objective ............................................................................................................................................. 39 Secrecy ................................................................................................................................................ 39 Wages & Taxation ............................................................................................................................... 39 Liberal Deism ....................................................................................................................................... 39 Peace and Harmony ............................................................................................................................ 40 Dedication to Orphans and Brothers’ Widows ................................................................................... 40 Charity ................................................................................................................................................. 40 The Degrees and Rites of Speculative Masonry ...................................................................................... 40 Grand Lodges ...................................................................................................................................... 41 MASONRY IN ENGLAND .......................................................................................................................... 41 APPENDIX B - THE EUROPEAN OCCUPATION OF NORTH AMERICA THRU THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION ... 42 Europeans Claim the Americas ............................................................................................................... 42 Spain .................................................................................................................................................... 44 France .................................................................................................................................................. 46 England ................................................................................................................................................ 46 APPENDIX C HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC MEXICO THRU THE TEXAS REVOLUTION ................................... 47 TIMELINE OFMEXICAN HISTORY ............................................................................................................. 47 February 1517 ..................................................................................................................................... 47 February 1519 ..................................................................................................................................... 47 November 1519 .................................................................................................................................. 47 August 13, 1521 .................................................................................................................................. 48 Hidalgo, Santa Anna and War ................................................................................................................. 48 1808 .................................................................................................................................................... 48 How Did Father Hidalgo Become a Mason? ....................................................................................... 48 September 16, 1810 ............................................................................................................................ 49 1814 .................................................................................................................................................... 49 1821 .................................................................................................................................................... 49 1823 .................................................................................................................................................... 49 1833 .................................................................................................................................................... 50 May12,1846 .......................................................................................................................................