Road to Independence

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Road to Independence
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Battle of Gonzales

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

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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.

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Battles of Lexington and Gonzales
Battle of Gonzales
Battle of Lexington
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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 __________________

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Battle of Gonzales

• 100 Mexican troops came to Gonzales and found 160
  Texans waiting, led by Colonel Moore. There was
  a brief struggle and the Mexicans retreated.
• Casualties were low, but both sides saw this as
  an outbreak of war.

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On to San Antonio

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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
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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

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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.

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Convention of 1836

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

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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
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Convention of 1836

• The document, much like the United States
  Declaration of Independence, said Santa Annas
  government violated liberties guaranteed under
  the Mexican Constitution of 1824.

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Convention of 1836

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

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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.

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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.

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Ad Interim Government

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