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European Wars
European wars and the French Revolution affected Spanish colonization in the Americas. Spain had less money to support the missions int eh Americas and began placing heavy taxes on the colonists. Meanwhile, the colonists had learned to rely on themselves and resented the Spanish government ruling them from so far away. -
Grito De Delores
Father Miguel Hidalgo had great sympathy for farming families struggling in Mexico. He believed in Enlightenment ideas that challenged a king's God-given right to rule. Je also believed the government should support people's natural rights. He gave his famous Grito de Dolores speech that called for Mexican citizens to fight for independence. Spanish authorities captured and executed him, but his supporters continued to fight. -
Battle of Medina
Father Hidalgo's supporters continued fighting for independence after his death. The Mexican Army attacked Spanish soldiers 20 miles from San Antonio at the Battle of Medina. It was the deadliest battle ever fought on Texas soil. Although the revolutionaries lost the battle, it is referred to as the 1st Texas Revolution. -
Americans Begin Colonizing Texas
Moses Austin convinced the Spanish government to give him a huge tract of land along the Brazos River. In exchange, Austin promised to bring 300 families to his colony. The first settlements along the Brazos and Colorado Rivers were established by Stephen F. Austin, Moses Austin's son. -
Mexican Independence
The fight for independence continued until the king's loyal supporters in Mexico finally joined forces with the rebels to defeat the Spanish army The Treaty of Córdoba declared Mexico independent from Spain. As a result, Mexico had to create a new government just like the Americans did after gaining independence from Great Britain in 1776. -
Constitution of 1824
The new Mexican government gave more power to the states. Colonists in Texas assumed they would become an independent state. Instead, the Constitution of 1824 merged Tejas and Coahuila. -
State Colonization Law of 1825
The State Colonization Law of 1825 gave control over land grants to the states. However, immigrants still had to agree to the requirements for settling in Texas, which included becoming loyal Catholic citizens and no slavery. -
Fredonian Rebellion
The Fredonian Rebellion (December 21, 1826 – January 23, 1827) was the first attempt by Anglo settlers in Texas to secede from Mexico. The settlers, led by Empresario Haden Edwards, declared independence from Mexican Texas and created the Republic of Fredonia near Nacogdoches. -
Mier y Teran Report
In his report on the commission, Mier y Terán recommended that strong measures be taken to stop the United States from acquiring Texas. ... His suggestions were incorporated into the Law of April 6, 1830, which also called for the prohibition of slavery and closed the borders of Texas to Americans -
Law of April 6, 1830
The Decree was passed because the Mexican government believed Coahuila y Tejas was in danger of being annexed by the United States. The U.S. had already tried to annex Texas twice, and the Mier y Teran report stated Anglo Americans isolated themselves from Mexicans and ignored the slavery laws. The Law specifically prohibited immigration from the United States. It also placed customs duties on U.S. goods going into Texas, established new forts in Texas, and prohibited slavery. -
Turtle Bayou Resolutions
On June 13, 1832, a group of Anglo-American settlers adopted a resolution called the Turtle Bayou Resolution. This stated that they were loyal to Mexico and were not rebelling. They declared that they were supporting Santa Anna who was a very popular leader trying to overthrow Anastasio Bustamante. -
Texans Request Reforms
Stephen Austin traveled to Mexico City with a petition that listed reforms demanded by Anglos and Tejanos. These reforms included the repeal of the immigration ban and Texas being created into a separate state. -
Convention of 1833
The Convention of 1833 was another attempt by Texans at reforms. They drafted a constitution patterned after those in the United States which were rejected by the Mexican government. -
Battle of Gonzales
The first shots of the revolution were fired. Mexican soldiers were sent to Gonzales, Texas to take a cannon. Texans did not let the soldiers into town and fired on them, beginning the Texas revolution. -
Seige of Bexar
Still outnumbered 2 to 1, the Texas army attacks Mexican troops at Bexar, today known as San Antonio. After this battle, most of the Texas army goes home because now Texans control almost all of Texas. -
Texas Declaration of Independence
A free and independent Republic of Texas was officially declared March 2, 1836, when the 59 delegates -- each representing one of the settlements in Texas -- approved the Texas Declaration of Independence. After the delegates signed the original declaration, 5 copies were made and dispatched to the designated Texas towns of Bexar, Goliad, Nacogdoches, Brazoria, and San Felipe. 1,000 copies were ordered printed in handbill form. -
Battle of the Alamo
After a 13-day attack on the Alamo Mission near San Antonio, Mexican soldiers kill all 189 Texans trying to defend the Alamo. The cruelty of the soldiers leads many Texans and Americans to join the Texas army to fight Mexico. Among the dead are Jim Bowie, William Travis, and Davy Crocket. -
Goliad Massacre
The Goliad massacre was an event of the Texas Revolution that occurred on March 27, 1836, following the Battle of Coleto; 425-445 prisoners of war from the Texian Army of the Republic of Texas were killed by the Mexican Army in the town of Goliad, Texas. Among those killed was commander Colonel James Fannin. -
Battle of San Jacinto
On April 21, 1836, during Texas' war for independence from Mexico, the Texas militia under Sam Houston (1793-1863) launched a surprise attack against the forces of Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (1794-1876) at the Battle of San Jacinto, near present-day Houston, Texas. -
Treaty of Velasco
On May 14, 1836, captured Mexican president Antonio López de Santa Anna signed a treaty negotiated with Burnet and other Texas officials. In the document, Santa Anna promised to end the war and order all Mexican troops in Texas to retire to the south bank of the Rio Grande
