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TEXAS INDEPENDENCE

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The Republic of TexasWhy did American settlers in Texas come

into conflict with Mexico?How did the siege of the Alamo become a

rallying cry for Texans?How did Texas become an independent

nation?What challenges did the Lone Star

Republic face?

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MEXICO

In 1821, Mexico won independence from Spain.

Mexico wanted settlers to settle an area called Texas.

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How did Americans settle in Texas?

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Mexico asks for

American settlers

They must:1. Become

Mexican citizens2. Become Catholics

3. Obey Mexican lawsSanta Anna

wants to enforce

laws

Battle of the

Alamo (1836)

Battle of San JacintoTexas

declares independenc

e (1836)

1845: Polk annexes Texas

(Manifest Destiny)

WAR WITH

MEXICO (1846-

48)

Mexico loses and gives up

land(Mexican Cession)

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Texan Independence

Texas claimed much more land than their original colony. It claimed all land north of the Rio Grande River.

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Americans in Texas Come Into Conflict With Mexico

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The AlamoBy 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.

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The siege continued for 12 days. Finally, on March 6, 1836 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.Among the dead were Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett,The fall of the Alamo ignited cries for revenge. “Remember the Alamo!” became a rallying cry as Texans fought for independence.

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Texan IndependenceA few weeks after the Alamo, Mexican

troops killed several hundred Texas soldiers after they had surrendered at Goliad. This action made Texans furious.

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.

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Texan IndependenceTexans 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.

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The Lone Star Republic Faced Challenges

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. 1. Antislavery northerners opposed it. 2. Andrew Jackson thought annexation would

cause war with Mexico; therefore, Congress refused to annex Texas.

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Section 2 AssessmentOne situation that led Texans to rebel against Mexico was that

a) Santa Anna had declared himself dictator of Mexico.b) Mexico invited too many Americans to settle in Texas.c) Mexico allowed German and Swiss settlers to move in.d) they let the Alamo’s walls crumble from disuse.

When Texas became an independent nation, one problem it faced was that

a) it attracted new settlers.b) most Texans opposed slavery.c) it was nearly bankrupt.d) there was no one to act as president.

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Section 2 AssessmentOne situation that led Texans to rebel against Mexico was that

a) Santa Anna had declared himself dictator of Mexico.b) Mexico invited too many Americans to settle in Texas.c) Mexico allowed German and Swiss settlers to move in.d) they let the Alamo’s walls crumble from disuse.

When Texas became an independent nation, one problem it faced was that

a) it attracted new settlers.b) most Texans opposed slavery.c) it was nearly bankrupt.d) there was no one to act as president.