The Texas Revolution Essays

The Texas Revolution Essays The Texas Revolution Paper The Texas Revolution Paper The Texas Revolution By Jessica Bouillon Texas History The Texas Revolution was a key point in our nation’s history and in the history of the state of Texas. For, if Texas had not revolted the way that they did, it would probably not have become a state. There are many causes that are speculated on why Texas revolted whether they are political disputes against the Centralist party in Mexico that had primary control at the time of the Revolution. These and more will be explored. Also, there are key battles in the Texas Revolution that decided the final fate of Texas, none more famous than the famous Battle of San Jacinto and The Alamo. The most popular, speculated cause of the Texas Revolution is that Texas was following in the footsteps of America. Most people think that Texas was fighting out of extreme displeasure with an intolerable, tyrannical, and undemocratic government like the Americans fought against the autocratic British. Most people think that Texas fought against Mexico because of the abolishment of the Constitution of 1824. â€Å"The Constitution of 1824, the first of the newly independent Republic of Mexico, was the document under which DeWitt Colonists were invited to emigrate to the Republic, was the one under which they assumed they were protected and the one they swore to defend. It evolved out of the acta constitucional authored by northeastern Mexican statesman, Jose Miguel Ramos Arispe† ( amu. edu/ccbn/dewitt). With the abolishment of the Constitution of 1824 by the Centralist PARTY IN Mexico, tensions between Mexico and Texas quickly rose. Of course, there are always â€Å"conspiracy theories†, one of which holds the belief that the slaveholders wanted control of Texas which would have turned a great profit. The slave trade going on throughout the world at the time of the Revolution was a very successful, and profitable business to be involved in. f the slaveholders had gotte n a hold of Texas, Texas would [probably have become on e of the major slave-trade posts in the entire country. During the time before the revolution the world slave-trade was still very big and slaves were still very important â€Å"items† in the typical household being as the revolution was some 25 years or so before the United States started their Civil War and President Lincoln abolished slavery. Still another speculated cause for the revolution in Texas was economics. There were many land speculators that were also U. S. migrants to Texas that were intent on making money from selling land. They had speculators in Texas, and Coahuila and financial centers in New York and Philadelphia. The speculators would speculate how much a piece of land was worth then sell it and turn the profits over to a financial center and make a tremendous profit from it. Yet another reason why Texans might have revolted was that they were trying to preserve and maintain the political values and economic gain while under the Constitution of 1824. It gave Texas a steady population flow of American migrants moving onto Texas soil. It also gave them political liberty, freedom to own slaves and a steady economic progression. But Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, president of Mexico, wished to impose a stricter rule which could also explain why Texas felt the need to separate from Mexico. Another speculated cause was that the Anglo-Americans that lived there refused to conform to the Mexican rules and laws. Most were protestant and therefore refused to convert to Catholicism. They also refused to pay their duties to the government and did not support troop increases for the Mexican army but had their own militias. They also viewed the Mexican form of government as politically and culturally inferior. There was also ethnocentrism or racism as a key factor and guiding force as most of the people who lived in Texas viewed the people of Mexico and racially inferior in politics, culture, and color. Things like this would definitely cause a lot of tension between Mexico and the Anglo-Americans of Texas. The revolution officially begun on October ninth of 1835 with the Battle of Goliad. This was the first offensive of the war for Texas’ independence. At first the Mexican army overwhelmed Texas. But, Goliad is where a local colonel and militia captured the fort and town of Goliad. Then on December twentieth of 1835 the town of Goliad signed the first declaration of Texas independence. It was on this day that the first official flag of Texas was hoisted. Although Texas was overwhelmed by Mexico in the beginning they were able to capture the Crossroads at San Antonio de Bexar and seize the garrison known as the Alamo by December of 1835. The Alamo is the most well-known and famous battle in the Texas revolution. There are a few major names associated with the defense of the Alamo. David Crockett, Jim Bowie, and William Barrett Travis were among those who fought and died for Texas independence. After Texas captured the Alamo Mexico fought and recaptured it and wound up killing every man defending it. After the massacre at the Alamo Texans were reported to have yelled â€Å"Remember the Alamo† at every battle ensuing including the final Battle of San Jacinto which took place on April twenty-first of 1836. It was between Sam Houston and 910 pioneers versus the Mexican army. The battle itself only lasted around twenty minutes. After the battle was over the Texans went on a search for Santa Anna and once found him captured him forcing Mexico to surrender. Upon his capture they forced Santa Anna to sign an order to evacuate Mexican troops from Texas territory. They also forced Mexico to sign many treaties declaring Texas an independent republic free of Mexico. In conclusion, the war for Texas independence was very short lasting a less than a year. But the tension leading up to it had been brewing since the abolishment of the Constitution of 1824. Although there is still speculation as to the true cause of the Texas Revolution most that are listed here can be considered somewhat valid. lone-star. net/mall/texasinfo/txrevolution. htm tamu. edu/ccbn/dewitt/batsanjacinto. htm