1. Texan Independence
American History

2. Map 1) Borderlands

3. Map 2) Borderlands

4. Map 3) Borderlands

5. Map 4) Borderlands

7. Spanish Texas
Tejas was rich and desirable, as it had forests, rich soil, and great grassy plains.
Tejanos are people of Spanish heritage who consider Texas their home.
The Spanish government wants to attract more settlers to move to Texas

8. Mexican Independence
Stephen Austin created a colony in Texas that attracted 297 families.
Tensions between American settlers and Tejanos increased because the Americans resented following Mexican laws.

9. Slavery in Texas Many Americans came from the South and brought slaves
Slavery was still illegal in Mexico

10. Rising Tensions in Texas
The Americans also didn’t want to learn Spanish or follow Mexican laws.
Very few settlers had converted to Catholicism.
The Mexican government:
 stopped American immigration
 levied taxes
 sent troops to Texas

11. Texans Revolt Against Mexico
[1833] Austin set off for Mexico City with a petition listing all the reforms supported by both Americans and Tejanos.
In Mexico City, the Mexican president, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna learned of a letter Austin had written that threatened a rebellion if Santa Anna didn’t approve of his petition.

12. The Alamo
The first battle takes place at on old mission that was used as a fort.

13. The Fight for the Alamo Only 183 Texans guarding the Alamo.
Mexican army had 1,800 men.
Texans held the Alamo for twelve days.
On the thirteenth day, Santa Anna ordered his men to storm the fortress.
When it was over, all but five Texans were dead. The men not killed in the battle were executed by Santa Anna.
Texans were shocked by the slaughter at the Alamo and vowed to fight for their freedom.

14. Men of the Alamo
Sam
Houston
Juan
Seguin
William Travis
Davy
Crockett

15. Victory at San Jacinto
On April 21st, 1836, the Texans advanced on the Mexican army “with the stillness of death”.
In just 18 minutes, the Texans killed more than half of the Mexican army.
Santa Anna was forced to sign a treaty giving Texas its freedom.
With the Battle of San Jacinto, Texas was now independent.

16. Lone Star Republic
In September 1836, Texans raised a flag with a single star.
Sam Houston was elected president
The Texas government asked Congress to annex Texas, but Congress vetoed the annexation because it worried about the slavery issue and about another war with Mexico.