Texas

Greedy Americans Americans were greedy and wanted more land. They wanted Texas, but they gave it up to Spain in 1819 when acquiring Florida.

Population The Spanish wanted to populate the area since it was virtually unpopulated. Stephen Austin was granted a tract of land with the understanding that the would bring immigrants to the land. The immigrants that came were of the established roman catholic faith. The immigrants were supposed to be mexicanized, but they stayed true Americans.

Texan Americans numbered about thirty thousand by the year 1835. The inhabitants of the land were god fearing, law abiding citizens. Davy Crockett and Jim bowie Were Texan Americans. Davy Crockett was a famous Rifleman. He also precipitated In the battle of the Alamo. Jim was the inventor of a murderous blade that bears his Name. The blade was known as the “genuine Arkansas toothpick.”

Sam Houston Sam Houston was ex-governor from Tennessee. After being married for a few Weeks, his bride leaves him and he Goes to live with the Arkansas Indians. The Indians gave him the name “big Drunk.”

Individualists that came to Texas would not easily be pushed around. Friction soon increased between the Mexicans and the Texans over matters such as slavery, immigration, and local rights. In 1830, Mexico emancipated its slaves and did not allow the importation of slaves into Texas. The new Americans refused to abide these new decrees. They kept their slaves in bondage and continued to bring more slaves into the area.

Stephen Austin In 1833, Stephen Austin went to Mexico city to negotiate with the Mexican government. When Austin arrived to discuss the differences, dictator Santa Anna threw him in jail for eight months. In 1835, Santa Anna whipped out all local rights and began to form an army to suppress the Texans.

The rebellion In 1836 Texans declared their independence. They named Sam Houston as commander and chief. Santa Anna sent six thousand men into Texas. Trapping about two hundred men at the Alamo in san Antonio, he wiped them out after a thirteen-day siege. Shortly after, about four hundred men gathered and defeated the American volunteers. These battles delayed the Mexican advance and enticed American opposition.

ON APRIL 21, 1836, SAM HOUSTON LED A ARMY OF ABOUT nine HUNDRED MEN TO SAN JACINTO. The mexicans numbered about thirteen hundred men. The Texans wiped the Mexicans forces and captured Santa Anna who was found cowering in some tall grass. They threatened Santa Anna with bowie knives and forced him to sign two treaties. One agreeing to withdraw Mexican troops and the other agreed to recognize the rio Grande as the extreme southwest boundary of Texas. Once he was released, Santa Anna declared the treaties illegal because he was extorted under duress.