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Beginning of the War: The war for independence began in the early hours of September 16, 1810, when Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla delivered the "Grito de Dolores," urging the Mexican people to revolt against Spanish rule.
Consummation of Independence: The war concluded 11 years later on September 27, 1821, with the Army of the Three Guarantees entering Mexico City and the formal Declaration of Independence being signed the following day. -
The Mexican Federal Constitution of 1824 was the first constitution of the United Mexican States, establishing a federal republic with a president, congress, and supreme court. -
The Fredonian Rebellion was a short-lived attempt by Anglo-American settlers in Mexican Texas to declare independence, but it failed quickly. Led by Haden Edwards, the rebels seized the Old Stone Fort near Nacogdoches in December 1826, proclaiming the Republic of Fredonia. The rebellion ended in January 1827 when Mexican forces arrived and the rebels, lacking sufficient support and supplies, fled. -
Mexican act designed to stop United States immigration to Texas by suspending existing empresario contracts, banning further American settlers, and prohibiting new slaves from being brought in. It also aimed to increase Mexico's control over Texas by encouraging Mexican and European colonization, imposing new trade restrictions, and establishing military forts. The law, a direct response to the Mier y Terán Report, created significant friction with Anglo-American colonists. -
The Mier y Terán report was a 1828 assessment by Manuel de Mier y Terán on the status of Mexican Texas, which warned that American influence was growing and Mexican authority was weakening. As a result, the report recommended strengthening Mexican control through increased military presence, encouraging more Mexican and European settlement, and closing the border to Americans. These recommendations directly led to the Mexican government issuing the Law of April 6, 1830. -
The Conventions of 1832 and 1833 were political meetings of Texian settlers to address grievances with the Mexican government, with the primary goals of seeking greater political autonomy and changes to immigration laws. -
Turtle Bayou Resolutions a series of statements adopted by Texan settlers in June 1832, protesting actions by the Mexican government and declaring their support for Antonio López de Santa Anna and the Mexican constitution of 1824. They were response to escalating conflicts with Mexican authorities, particularly Colonel John Davis Bradburn, and aimed to show they were not rebelling against Mexico, rather resisting the violations of their constitutional rights by the Centralist administration. -
Stephen F. Austin was arrested and imprisoned in Mexico City in 1834 after presenting a proposal for Texas to become a separate state, which Mexican officials viewed as an act of insurrection. He was detained for over a year on suspicion of inciting rebellion, though no formal charges were ever filed, and was eventually released in December 1834. His imprisonment, intended to suppress dissent, instead fueled resentment and ultimately pushed him to support the fight for Texan independence. -
he Battle of Gonzales was the first military engagement of the Texas Revolution, where Texan settlers fought Mexican soldiers over a cannon. On October 2, 1835, after Mexican forces were sent to retrieve a cannon loaned to the Texans, the settlers refused and fired the cannon in defiance. The brief skirmish resulted in the Mexican troops retreating and became a symbol of resistance, with the famous "Come and Take It" flag. -
The Consultation of 1835 was a political meeting held in San Felipe de Austin in response to rising tensions between Anglo-American settlers and the Mexican government. While it was initially intended to be a reform-seeking assembly, the outbreak of the Texas Revolution led to the adoption of the Declaration of November 7, 1835, which justified taking up arms and was a precursor to the Texas Declaration of Independence. -
The Battle of the Alamo was a 13-day siege in 1836 during the Texas Revolution where a small group of Texan defenders, including famous figures like Davy Crockett and James Bowie, were overcome by a much larger Mexican army led by General Santa Anna.
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The Travis letter was a desperate plea for reinforcements sent by Lieutenant Colonel William B. Travis from the besieged Alamo on February 24, 1836. It was addressed "To the People of Texas all Americans in the world," begging for immediate help in the face of a superior Mexican army. The letter famously concluded with the line "Victory or Death¨.