Week of Nov 17Locke – Texas History

Monday – Nov. 17

Bell Ringer:

What do you find most interesting about the Texas Revolution so far?

Quick Review of Battles to-dateGet out a piece of paper and number 1-51. Which battle was fought in October 1835 because the Mexican army was trying to

take back a cannon they had loaned Texas settlers? (Battle of Gonzalez OR Battle of San Antonio)

2. Which battle resulted in the Texans capturing Presidio La Bahia? (Capture of Goliad OR Capture of Victoria)

3. Which battle of November 1835 resulted in there being no Mexican soldiers north of the Rio Grande River (for a time)? (Siege of Austin OR Siege of San Antonio)

4. Which battle in March 1836 resulted in the death of all the Texan defenders, including William Travis, Jim Bowie and David Crockett? (Battle of the Alamo OR Battle of Goliad)

5. In which battle of March 1836 were the Texans, led by James Fannin, surrounded in the open prairie and forced to surrender? (Battle of Victoria OR Battle of Coleto Creek)

Battles moved eastward and pulled the Mexican army further away from their capital of Mexico City

Quick Check on Key People of RevolutionReview pictures and identify who they were

Convention of 1836While the fighting was going on, the Texans needed to make a government.

59 delegates met in the small town of Washington-on-the Brazos.

George Childress became the author of the Texas Declaration of Independence which was approved on March 2, 1836.

The Texas Constitution was signed on March 16, 1836, using the US Constitution as a guide. David Burnett was elected the first President of the Republic on a short-term (interim) basis. Lorenzo de Zavala was elected Vice President.

Like everyone else, the government was on the run from Santa Anna’s army after the fall of the Alamo.

Flags of Texas

Alamo Flag?? – unlikely, since it promoted the Mexican Constitution of 1824, which had lost its appeal to Texans by March 1836

Burnett Flag (1836-1839)

Gonzalez Flag (October 1835)

In your composition book

Make a “ T” chart comparing the US and Texas Constitutions. List the Similarities and Differences (use pages 182-184)

Similarities Differences

US vs. Texas ConstitutionSimilarities – • Separate powers into 3

branches• President given broad powers• President leads the army• Legislature is bicameral (2

houses)• Several layers of courts• System of Checks and Balances• White male suffrage• Bill of Rights

Differences• US is a federal republic (shared power

between states and national government) and Texas was a unitary republic (all power originates from national government)• Direct popular vote for the president of Texas,

but US President is elected by electoral college• US President (4 years, can serve consecutive

terms), Texas President (3 years, can’t serve consecutive)• In Texas, no minister, priest or member of

clergy could hold office, not true in the US• Texas Constitution is more difficult to change

Closure

Update your timeline

1836 (March 2) Texas Declaration of Independence1836 (March 16) Texas Constitution passed

TURN IN SEEDS OF REVOLUTION CHART

We will have a vocabulary quiz tomorrow – STUDY!!!!!

Tuesday, Nov. 18

Bell Ringer – Consider: think of 3 things you know about the Republic of Texas Constitution

Independence Won!• March 29 – Houston’s army receives 2 cannons from the citizens of Cincinnati, Ohio

(called the “Twin Sisters”)• Erastus “Deaf” Smith (scout for Sam Houston) captures a Mexican courier and gets

Santa Anna’s plans. Houston now knows the Santa Anna has split his army• April 20 – President Burnett and the Texas government narrowly avoids capture by

Santa Anna’s cavalry. Both Santa Anna’s and Sam Houston’s armies are near Buffalo Bayou off the San Jacinto River (near present day Houston)• April 21, 1836

• Morning – Houston orders “Deaf” Smith to destroy Vince’s Bridge to “trap” both sides and prevent Santa Anna from getting any reinforcements

• Noon – Sam Houston holds a War Council. They decide to attack at 3:30pm. Mexican army, believing that Texans will do nothing that day begin a siesta (rest after lunch)

• Afternoon – Texans attack (using the “Twin Sisters”). Battle lasts 18 minutes, but the Texans slaughter retreating Mexicans for a long time. Santa Anna hides.

Battle of San Jacinto – continued; and Aftermath• Army comparison: Texans over 900; Mexican about 1,300• Santa Anna captured the next day (April 22)•While many Texans want Santa Anna executed, Houston spares

his life and forces him to order all Mexican troops to leave Texas (south of Rio Grande)•May 14, 1836 – Santa Anna and President Burnett sign Treaty of

Velasco to end the war. Mexican government will later refuse to accept it.• 1837 – Santa Anna goes to Washington DC, where he meets US

President Andrew Jackson and is quietly set free to return to Mexico

Make a Telegram

Make a telegram in 40 words or less summarizing the Battle of Jacinto for someone back in the eastern US. You must include date, location and description of the action. Use pages 192-196

The telegram must be written like it would have been AT THAT TIME. For example, the location is NOT near Houston, Texas, since that city does not exist in 1836.

Closure

Vocabulary Quiz

Clear off your desk

Wednesday, Nov. 19

Bell Ringer:

What challenges do you think would face the new Republic of Texas?

Republic of Texas

Presidents:David Burnett (interim). March 16 to October 22, 1836Sam Houston (Oct. 1836 to Dec. 1838)Mirabeau Lamar (Dec. 1838 to Dec. 1841)Sam Houston (Dec. 1841 to Dec. 1844)Anson Jones (Dec. 1844 to Feb. 1846)

What do you notice about the length of their terms?

Challenges facing the new Republic

• Poor relations with Mexico and arguments over the southern and western borders of Texas• Huge national debts to payoff from the Revolution and to keep the

government running.• Troubles with Native Americans• Debate whether or not to join the US (assuming US would take

Texas……..)• Trying to maintain an affordable army/navy• Attracting more settlers• Deciding where the capital should be

Texas RangersStephen F. Austin first organized civilians into groups to protect the colonies in Mexican Texas. He referred to them as “Rangers” in 1823 because they ranged over the whole countryside.

They helped served as law enforcement, but their primary job during the Texas Republic was to help defend against hostile Native Americans.

President’s Worksheet

Work on the President’s worksheet. For each event on the list, categorize to the appropriate President. Use pages 210 through 222 for most of them.

Closure

What’s the most interesting event you read about in the Texas Republic era?

Thursday, Nov. 20

Bell Ringer-

Sit down and get out your Presidents Worksheet. We will go over it.

President Anson Jones and Texas AnnexationDr. Anson Jones was a friend of Sam Houston and the two men agreed on most policies. He continued Houston’s peace policy toward Native Americans. He also tried to make peace with Mexico.

His most important issue was annexation – joining the United States. He worked hard to accomplish this.

Texas AnnexationRead pages 225 and 226.

In your composition, answer these questions:

1. Why would Texas want to Join the US?2. What concerns would the US have with Texas becoming a state?3. What are the 4 key points of the Joint Resolution of 1845 (list

them)?

Daily Life in the Republic

• People continued to move to Texas for cheap/free land• In the 1840’s, the Republic brought back the Empresario system to increase the

population of Texas• Most Texans were farmers who grew enough food to feed their families, but

some Texans grew enough food to sell and get cash to buy goods.• Towns begin to grow and increase in number – Galveston was the largest town

in the Republic.• Most kids were taught at home, since public schools were not a priority.• In 1845, Baylor University was founded. It’s the oldest university in Texas, still

operating.• The Republic of Texas had no official religion, but the fastest growing groups

were Protestant (Baptists and Methodists)

Mary Maverick

Kept diaries and journals that have helped historians learn about daily life in the Texas Republic.

Closure

Consider, if you were in the Texas legislature, would you vote to join the United States? Why or Why not?

Friday

Sit down quickly and quietly, watch the movie closely. You will have questions to answer.

Closure

Turn in your answers to the questions.