Americans who settled in Texas were known as Texians or Texicans. Settlers of Mexican origin were called Tejanos. Most early settlements were in the Brazos River area.
Mexican troops massacred 350 Texians at Goliad.
San Jacinto Day is celebrated on April 21 with a festival and battle reenactment at the monument.
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The Texas Revolution began with
the Battle of Gonzales in October 1835 and ended with the Battle of San Jacinto in April 1836. (6 months, 2 weeks, 5 days) Texas Independence Day is celebrated on March 2.
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major battles in texas war for independence
Important People of the Texas Revolution
Stephen F. Austin inherited a land grant in Mexican Texas near the Brazos River. Austin led hundreds of settlers west, arranging their land claims with the Mexican government and assisting with all manner of support from helping sell goods to fighting off
Comanche attacks. After he was jailed in Mexico City, he became one of the leading proponents of Texas Independence. When he died, President of Texas Sam Houston declared "The father of Texas is no more! The first pioneer of the wilderness has departed!" |
Jim Bowie was a frontiersman and inventor of the Bowie knife. He came to Texas from Louisiana and joined the growing movement for independence. He was in charge of the volunteers at the Battle of Concepcion, an early win for the Texas rebels. He died at the legendary Battle of the Alamo. |
William Travis, a lawyer and rabble-rouser, organized many acts of agitation against the Mexican government in Texas starting in 1832. He was sent to San Antonio in February of 1836 where he was in command of the Alamo and helped prepare the defenses as the Mexican army approached. According to legend, on the night before the battle, Travis drew a line in the sand and challenged everyone who would remain and fight to cross it. The next day, Travis and all of his volunteer army were killed a the Alamo on March 6, 1936.
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Davy Crockett was a legendary frontiersman who came from Tennessee to Texas in 1836. He led a handful of Tennessee volunteers to the Alamo where they joined the defenders. The Mexican army soon arrived, and Crockett and all of his companions were killed at the Alamo in 1836. |
Sam Houston was a war hero and politician whose promising career had been derailed by tragedy. Making his way to Texas, he soon found himself caught up in the chaos of insurrection and war. By 1836 he had been named General of all Texan forces. He could not rescue the defenders of the Alamo, but in April of 1836, he routed Santa Anna at the decisive Battle of San Jacinto. After the war, the old soldier turned into a wise statesman, serving as President of the Republic of Texas and then Congressman and Governor of Texas after Texas joined the USA in 1846.
Juan Seguin was a Tejano who helped Sam Houston defeat Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto. He was also the Captain at the Seige of Bexar, the 2nd major battle of the revolution.
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Santa Anna declared himself President of Mexico and rode north from Mexico at the head of a massive army to crush the Texan insurgents in 1836. Santa Anna had a gift for charming people, but was inept in just about every other way. At first all went well, as he crushed small groups of rebellious Texans at the Alamo and the Goliad Massacre. Then, with the Texans on the run and settlers fleeing for their lives, he made the fatal mistake of dividing his army and taking a siesta when they arrived at the campsite. Defeated at the Battle of San Jacinto, he was captured and forced to sign treaties recognizing Texas independence.
James Fannin was executed with 350 of his volunteers at Goliad March 27, 1836. Although William B. Travis wrote to him many times pleading for help, Fanin did not bring his troops to the Alamo as reinforcements.
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