TEXAN INDEPENDENCE

Chapter 7 section 3Objective 4.2 Evaluate the impact settlement had upon different groups of people

Mexico Gains Its Independence• 1821- Mexico gains it independence from Spain. Northern territory: Texas, California, New Mexico remained part of Mexico= great distance= political independence from Mexico. Northern Territory Inhabitants: Native Americans & Hispanic settlers= settlements attacked by Apache, Comanche's & others. • the Spanish had est. missions to spread the Christian

faith & Spanish culture.• Native Americans often worked on the in slave-like

conditions • By 1820- mission system had declined• Frontier forts- presidios became weak as well

California• Cattle ranching= mainstay of life• White Spanish “Dons” & families dominated society.• Mestizos- middle class of mixed Anglo-Native

Americans• Native-Americans-bottom of social structure

Americans Move Into Mexican Lands• Post Mexican independence= Americans increasingly

moved to California -• Texas-served as a type of boundary between the US &

Mexico.• Texas- about 2,500 (Tejanos) settled San Antonio &

Goliad• Before 1821-Spain allowed foreigners to settle Texas

Mexico & Texas 1823-1825 Mexico passed 3 colonization

laws Exemption from tax for Americans to settle

in Texas Required Mexican citizenship and

conversion to Catholicism Empresarios – ‘agent’ – given land to fill it

with settlers – became governors National Colonization Act – Mexican Act

giving land to 26 Empresarios Stephen F. Austin

1st & most successful empresario Founded Washington on the Brazos Attracted 1500 families

What is a tejano?1. Spanish speaking

inhabitants of the territory

2. Mixed birth inhabitant

3. Mexican cowboy4. A spicy taco

Americanizing Texas Americans accepted Mexican citizenship-

few adopted Mexican culture or Roman Catholicism.

1826- Benjamin Edwards (brother of an empresario) led a rebellion against the Mexican government= wanted to establish Fredonia= Mexican troops & Tejanos led by Stephen Austin ended the revolt.

In 1830- the Mexican government closed its doors to immigration by Americans.

Mexico & Texas 1830 – Mexico closed its borders, taxed

imports & banned importing slaves Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

Mexican leader – become dictator (1834) Austin tried to negotiate (1833) Austin sent a letter to Tejano leaders telling

them to start forming their own governments (1833-34)

Austin prepared Texans to organize an army (1835)

Mexico & Texas Gonzales – 1835 – 1st ‘battle’ won by Texan

army at San Antonio- “Come & Take It”= Americans take San Antonio (Dec. 1835)

Sam Houston – former governor of Tennessee took control of the Texan army

The Alamo- a Spanish mission Texan army (180 men) led by William B. Travis Goal- hold out so Sam Houston could prepare an

army. Reinforcements never came (32 settlers showed

up) After 13 days- the Mexicans overtook the Texans

after a 6 hour battle

The National Colonization Act gave large amounts of land to:

1. Mestizos2. Vacqueros3. Tejanos4. Empresario

s

Mexico & Texas Goliad- Texas troops surrendered= Santa Anna

ordered the execution of 300 Texans Another lost battle by the Texans

Battle of San Jacinto Surprise attack = capture of Santa Anna Santa Anna forced to sign a treaty

recognizing Texas Independence (Mexico never accepted this)

“Remember the Alamo!”, “Remember Goliad” Texans won the war Texas gets its Independence – 1836

The Republic of Texas Sam Houston elected President Voted 3,277 to 91 to be annexed by the

US Congress opposed – slavery problem Andrew Jackson – did nothing John Tyler – President after Harrison

died! wanted to admit Texas as a slave state Killed his chances of a second term

Election of 1844 Annexation was the issue

Henry ClayWhig

For entering Texas as a slave state

James BirneyLiberty PartyAbolitionists

who were Whigs

James K. PolkDemocratTexas as a slave state

James K. Polk 1845-1849 Texas as a slave state ‘Fifty-Four Forty or Fight’-

Campaign slogan Add the Oregon territory as a state extending

the border to the 54th parallel Great Britain & US finally agreed on the 49th

Buy California from Mexico Before Tyler left office he pushed the

annexation of Texas through in 1845

Mexican Reaction Outrage at the annexation Broke diplomatic relations with the US Border dispute

Mexico – Nueces River US – Rio Grande

John Slidell – sent by Polk to purchase California

Jose Joaquin Herrara – president of Mexico refused to meet with him