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Jose Francisco Lopez makes a report on the state of Spanish missions in 1789, with nearly nothing positive to say. In February of 1793, Governor Manuel Munoz received orders for the secularization of San Antonio de Valero. Then on April 10, 1974, Commandant General Pedro Nava issued a decree for the secularization of all missions 10 years old in the Provincias Internas (88). These series of events weakened Spain's influence among the Natives and their frontier defense.
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In 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte forced Spain to cede the Louisiana Territory to France, planning to begin a French empire in North America (101, 102). This treaty triggered future border disputes between the U.S. and the Spanish, while also paving the way for the Louisiana Purchase to occur.
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Napoleon's plan to erupt a French empire in North America ends up failing, and as a result, he sells the Louisiana Territory to the U.S. in 1803 (102). The Louisiana Purchase expanded the U.S. territory, bringing the U.S. right next to the Texas border, which increased their interest in Texas.
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In early 1806, tensions between the U.S. and Spain rose, after U.S. troops arrived near Natchitoches in 1805 and began asserting claims to the area. Disputes over the territory would occur between the U.S. and the Spanish. To diffuse the situation Commandant General Nemecio Salcedo proposed establishing neutral ground between Natchitoches and the Sabine River (106, 107). This agreement prevented a war between the U.S. and Spain.
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In the morning of September 16, 1810, Hidalgo made his speech which began the Mexican War of Independence, stating "Long live Religion! Long live our Blessed Mother Guadalupe! Long live Ferdinand VII and death to bad government". This speech sparked the revolution, which would eventually free Texas from Spanish rule.
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In the spring of 1812, Gutierrez de Lara began recruiting for what eventually becomes the Republican Army of the North. In August 1812, de Lara led his expedition occupied a presidio in La Bahia, which was besieged by royalists between November 1812 and February 1813. The royalists retreated after failing their siege, and was chased by the insurgents who eventually defeated them (119, 120). This was the first major victory of the Republican Army of the North in Texas.
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Viceroy Calleja, determined to avenge the murder of Salcedo and put down the insurgents in Texas, gave General Jaoquin Arredondo the order to retake province. On August 18, 1813, the royalist army led by Arredondo fought the Republican Army of the North a few miles south of the Medina River. Resulting in a devastating loss for the revolutionists, with hundreds executed (121, 122). This battle crushed independence efforts, however it also radicalized local politics.
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In February 1819, U.S. secretary of state John Quincy Adams and Spanish ambassador Luis de Onis reach an agreement in which they agreed that Spain would keep Texas, but concede Florida to the U.S. (128). This event was important, as it clarified borders and temporarily reduced tensions between the U.S. and Spanish. However Texas was kept under Spanish rule. -
Royalist officer named Agustin de Iturbide was sent to defeat rebel Vicente Guerrero. Instead of fighting, the two reached an agreement for the separation of Mexico from Spanish control. They signed the Plan of Iguala on February 24, 1821, ending 300 years of Spanish colonial rule.
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After Emperor Agustin de Iturbide was overthrown, the Mexican Constitution of 1824 established Mexico as a federal republic, it was modeled from aspects of American, French, and Spanish politics (138). The constitution gave Texas limited self-government and combined Texas with Coahuila, which caused resentment among Anglo-Americans and Tejanos.
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