Road to Independence

Battle of Gonzales

• The number of Mexican troops was increasing in Texas and people were beginning to worry.

Battle of Gonzales The first conflict between Mexican

troops and Texan colonist came at Gonzales on 10-2-1835. This is known as the Lexington of Texas. The first battle of the American Revolution was at Lexington, Mass. and the British were attempting to take arms and ammunition from the Americans just like the Mexicans were from the Texans.

Battles of Lexington and Gonzales

Battle of Gonzales Battle of Lexington

Battle of Gonzales

• A Mexican commander at San Antonio ordered the people of Gonzales to surrender their small cannon. The people refused, buried it, waited for reinforcements, dug it back up and put a white flag on it that read __________________

Battle of GonzalesBattle of Gonzales

100 Mexican troops came to 100 Mexican troops came to Gonzales and found 160 Texans Gonzales and found 160 Texans waiting, led by Colonel Moore. waiting, led by Colonel Moore. There was a brief struggle and There was a brief struggle and the Mexicans retreated.the Mexicans retreated.

Casualties were low, but both Casualties were low, but both sides saw this as an outbreak of sides saw this as an outbreak of war.war.

On to San Antonio

• After the victory at Gonzales, the Texans were again victorious at Goliad.

On to San Antonio

• Known as the Army of the People led by Stephen F. Austin, the army went to face General Cos at San Antonio.

The Consultation• The war party was convinced now

more than ever that Texas did not need Mexico. The Peace party agreed that Texans should oppose Santa Anna, but rejected independence. They claimed they were fighting for the Mexican Constitution of 1824.

The Consultation

– They said that Santa Anna was taking their unalienable rights: rights a legitimate government should protect: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Provisional Government Begins

• The Consultation set up a provisional government with a governor at the top.

• They also set up a regular army of full time soldiers with Sam Houston as its commander.

The Capture of San Antonio

• Stephen F. Austin went to the U.S.A. to ask for aid. While away, soldiers found out the General Cos had a shipment of silver coming into San Antonio. They captured the shipment which turned out to be hay for the animals. This event became known as the “Grass Fight.”

They got hay,Not silver

The Capture of San Antonio

– Texas volunteers invaded San Antonio and forced the Mexicans to surrender. They allowed General Cos to return to Mexico if he promised never to return to Texas

Santa Anna to Texas

• Santa Anna came to Texas with a large army in the early part of 1836. The Texans moved to the Alamo and began to make it stronger. Other Texans went to Washington-on-the-Brazos for a convention.

Convention of 1836

• They met at Washington-on-the-Brazos on March of 1836. (Northwest of Houston)

Convention of 1836

• They began writing a Declaration of Independence from Mexico. This was written by George C. Childress.

Replica of the building where they wrote the Declaration of Independence.

George C. Childress

Convention of 1836– The document, much like the

United States Declaration of Independence, said Santa Anna’s government violated liberties guaranteed under the Mexican Constitution of 1824.

Convention of 1836

• The document was voted in on March 2, 1836, Texas Independence Day.

The Constitution The delegates immediately started on the

Constitution after the Declaration of Independence. They did this while fighting at the Alamo was going on.

Like the U.S. Constitution, the Constitution of Texas has three branches of government and included the Bill of Rights or basic freedoms.

The Texas Constitution made slavery legal.

Ad Interim Government

• Because of fighting at the Alamo, Texans put in a temporary or ad interim government. David G. Burnett was appointed President of the Republic.

Ad Interim GovernmentAd Interim Government

The government was constantly The government was constantly on the move because by the on the move because by the time they adjourned their time they adjourned their meetings; Santa Anna had meetings; Santa Anna had already won the battle of the already won the battle of the Alamo and was pursuing the Alamo and was pursuing the government government