Transcript Chapter 9

Steps Toward Texas
Independence
Chapter 9
Early Events in the
Texas Revolution
First conflict between
Mexico and Texas
occurred at Gonzaleswas known as the
Lexington of Texas.
Texans refused to
give a small cannon
to the Mexicans.
Results of the Battle
at Gonzales
After a brief few minutes
of fighting and only one
Mexican killed,
the Mexican troops
withdrew and rode
toward San Antonio
General Cos regarded the fight at
Gonzales as the outbreak of war.
On to San Antonio
One week after the fighting at
Gonzales, a force of 50 Texans
attacked and won at Goliad.
Stephen F. Austin took command of
the Texas Army of 600 volunteers.
The Texas Army laid siege to the
city of San Antonio and decided to
make camp outside of the city
hoping General Cos would run out
of supplies and surrender.
The
Consultation
Met on November 3,
1835 at San Felipe
Attended by 58 delegates
Members of the war party
favored an immediate
declaration of independence
from Mexico, as Texans could
no longer live peacefully under
Mexican rule.
The Consultation
(continued)
Members of the peace party
disagreed with those of the war party.
After voting the Texans
declared the following:
1. Loyalty to Mexico
2. Support of the Constitution of 1824
3. Fought only to defend themselves
4. Opposed the rule of Santa Anna
The Provisional Government
A Temporary Government
Set up by The Consultation
Chose members of the war
party, Henry Smith as governor
and James W. Robinson as
lieutenant governor
Chose a council with one
representative from each
municipality, who were from
the peace party
Provisional
Government
(continued)
Created a post office
Made plans for an
army and a navy
Sent McKinney to
U.S. to raise
$100,000 for loans
Quarreled with the
result of a complete
breakdown of the
government
Winter of 1835-36
Stephen F. Austin left his
command of the Texas
Army to plead for aid in
the United States.
Edward Burleson became commander
and involved the Texas troops in the
“Grass Fight.” Troops fought the
Mexican mule handlers and captured
several mules who were not carrying
silver to pay Cos’s troops but grass
for Cos’s cavalry horses.
The Capture of San Antonio
Ben Milam, an old
empresario, led the
attack saying, “Who
will go with old Ben
Milam into San Antonio?”
Fighting from house to house by
Anglos, Tejanos, and African
Americans lasted four days.
The Capture of San Antonio
(continued)
Johnson took over command
after Ben Milam was killed.
After Cos
surrendered, the
Texans took
refuge in an old
abandoned
mission—
The Alamo
The Convention
of 1836
• Fifty-nine delegates
began to arrive at
Washington-on-theBrazos in late February, 1836.
• They first wrote the Declaration
of Independence from Mexico.
The Convention
of 1836 (continued)
• The Declaration of
Independence stated
that Santa Anna’s
government had violated the
liberties guaranteed under the
Mexican Constitution. It charged
that Texans had been deprived of
freedom of religion, the right to
trial by jury, the right to bear arms,
and the right to petition
The Declaration of
Independence
• The Declaration also
stated that Mexico had
failed to provide a
system of public education.
• It also noted that the Texans’ protests
against these policies were met with
force, as the Mexican government had
sent a large army to drive Texans out
of their homes.
• It was adopted by unanimous vote.
The Convention’s Adoption of
the Constitution of 1836
• The Convention also wrote and
adopted the Texas Constitution of
1836 which was similar to the
Constitution of the United States.
• The document made provision for
three branches of government:
the executive, the legislative, and
the judicial branches.
The Texas Constitution
(continued)
• It contained a Bill of Rights
guaranteeing freedom of speech,
freedom of the press, freedom of
religion, trial by jury, and other basic
civil rights.
• It made slavery legal—free African
Americans were not permitted to live
in the Republic of Texas—Congress
was forbidden to free slaves or to
prevent the importation from the U.S.
The Ad Interim Government
• With Mexican troops in Texas, it
was not possible to hold elections
to ratify the constitution and vote
for the leaders of the new
republic.
• The Convention’s last act was to
select officers of a temporary
government known as the Ad
Interim Government.
Ad Interim Government
(continued)
• The following officers were to
serve until regular elections
could be held.
President: David G. Burnet
Vice president: Lorenzo de Zavala
Commander in chief of the army:
Sam Houston (put in charge of volunteers as
well as the regular army)
The Convention of 1836
Adjourns
• Reports that the Alamo had fallen had
been received two days earlier.
• A messenger also reported that Santa
Anna’s army was marching toward
Washington-on-the Brazos.
• President Burnet and his cabinet left
for the small town of Harrisburg (part
of Houston today).
• Next they had to flee to Galveston as
Santa Anna marched toward
Harrisburg.
The War Had Begun
The future looked dark for
the new Republic of Texas.