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Mexico gains its independence from Spain for once and for all! Mexico has had enough of Spain's controlling power. -
Santa Anna claimed loyalty to the Constitution of 1824, but went back and became the Centralist dictator of Mexico, making the Texans feel betrayed. -
Haden and Benjamin Edwards declare the Republic of Fredonia independent. That failed when the Mexican came to Nacogdoches (Fredonia). -
Genera Mier y Teran does a population report on Texas and finds that the Anglos to Mexicans ratio is 10:1. This will start the Law of April 6, 1830. -
Because of the Mier y Teran report, a new law was passed. This law said that no one could move from the US to Texas anymore, and they couldn't bring any more slaves into Texas. It also added taxes on all the goods coming from the US. -
Colonel John Davis in Mexico enforced immigration rules prohibiting the importation of slaves into Texas. He took slaves from William Logan, who sought legal help from lawyers like William B. Travis. Their arrest led to the Turtle Bayou Resolutions, which aimed to uphold the Constitution of 1824. -
John Austin went to get a cannon to take back to Turtle Bayou. When he tried to go through Velasco, the Mexican commanders wouldn't let him pass, and a fight started. In the end, Mexico ran out of ammo and had to surrender. -
Texans united in San Felipe, led by Stephen F. Austin, to support the Constitution of 1824. They expressed a desire for U.S. immigration, unhappy with high taxes, and the making of a separate state from Coahuila. -
Stephen F. Austin goes to Mexico City to present resolutions but gets arrested after sending a letter about independence that Santa Anna's soldiers intercept. -
Texas representatives met to discuss issues and voted against breaking away from Mexico to declare independence.
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In Gonzalez, Mexico tried to take back a cannon given to the Texans for protection against Indian attacks. Led by JH Moore, the Texans shouted, "Come and Take It!" and fired at the Mexicans. The Mexicans retreated, and the Texans won the first battle of the Revolution, boosting Texas's confidence that they could stand up to Mexico.
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Santa Anna surrounded San Antonio and trapped fewer than 200 Texans led by William B. Travis and James Bowie. They fought hard for 13 days but were defeated in just 90 minutes on March 6, causing a lot of damage to Santa Anna's army. -
William B. Travis sends Juan Seguin as a courier to deliver a letter calling for help at the Alamo, but vows never to surrender. This letter will become one of the most famous written documents in American History. -
Representatives met at Washington-on-the-Brazos to vote for independence from Mexico. They decide to write a Declaration of Independence, written by George C. Childress and based on the US Declaration. -
Colonel James Fannin marches 300 soldiers toward the Alamo, but is intercepted by Mexican General Urrea at Coleto Creek. Fannin and his men are surrounded in an open field and forced to surrender. -
After Fannin surrenders at Coleto Creek, he and his men are marched back to La Bahia Mission in Goliad. Santa Anna orders all of the men to be executed, rather than held as prisoners of war. The bodies of the soldiers (just like at the Alamo) were piled and burned, rather than burial, as was traditional.
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Sam Houston and his soldiers caught Santa Anna's army off guard while they were taking a break near San Jacinto. The Texans rushed in and defeated Santa Anna’s forces in just 18 minutes! That makes it the shortest battle ever -
After Santa Anna lost the battle at San Jacinto, he had to sign a treaty that said Texas was independent. The treaty also said that the Rio Grande River would be the southern border of Texas.