Chapter 8“Growing Tensions”

Differences Create Tension

Differences between Mexicans and Anglo-American Texans in the

1820’s and 1830’s may have led to misunderstanding and conflict.

Different Languages

Different Religions

Disagreements over the issue of slavery

Mexicans suspected that Anglos remained loyal to the United States.

                                    

Anglo-Americans were unfamiliar with Mexican laws.

Texans under the Mexican Federalists before 1829 were left alone to do as they pleased.

• More and more settlers received land titles, cleared their fields, and built homes.

• They established schools and newspapers.• Settlers brought in slaves, which the Mexican government opposed.

Texans under the Mexican Centralists after 1829, were

under many strict regulations.• It issued regulations to bring the states

and provinces of Mexico more under the authority of the national government.

• Most Anglo Texans considered these regulations unnecessary and unfair.

The Republic of FredoniaThe first clash between colonistsand Mexican authorities. (1829)

The state government allowed the empresario Haden Edwards to settle

800 families in the Nacogdoches area.

Edwards learned that many settlers were living without legal titles on his land. He was told that he could not

charge these settlers for new land titles.

Edwards responded by declaring his colony, The Republic of Fredonia, independent from

Mexico.

Edwards received no support from other Texan colonies or from the United States, and

Mexican troops quickly put the revolt down. Thirty or so

Fredonians fled to the United States.

At approximately the same time, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Anthony Butler, proposed that

Mexico sell Texas to the United States.

The Mexicans were convinced now that the Fredonian Revolt was part of an American scheme to acquire Texas. Their fears and suspicions grew.

The Americans cannot be trusted!

#1 NOTES: FREDONIAN REVOLT

Where? Nacogdoches

What happened? Hayden Edwards was angry with squatters & Mexico so he declared his colony free from Mexico.

Result? When Mexico attacked, most Fredonians fled to the U.S.

Mexico sent an inspection party,led by General Mier y Teran, to

investigate.

Mier y Teran reported that Anglo-American influence in East Texas was strong, since Anglo settlers outnumbered Mexican settlers

five to one.

He also noted that slavery was growing in Texas, …

…and that American settlers were entering Texas without permission

or contracts.

http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~mharrsch/OregonTrail.html

Mier y Teran made it clear to the Mexican government that if it did not act at once, Texas

would be

#2 NOTES: Inspection of Mier y Teran

Where? East Texas What happened? * found Anglos 5 to 1 over Mexicans* influences from U.S. too strong

Result? Recommended that Mexico take action against the Anglos

"Remember, if Christmas isn't found in your

heart, you won't find it

under a tree." - Charlotte Carpenter

Meanwhile, the Anglo Americancolonists were also becoming concerned. Those colonists who held slaves were worried about government efforts to abolish slavery.

In 1829 the president of Mexico issued a decree, or order, abolishing slavery. He was persuaded to exempt, or excuse, Texas from the decree, but many of the Anglo American slaveholders believed that it was only a matter of time before the decree would apply to them, too.

The Law of April 6, 1830 was issued by the new

Centralist government, whono longer trusted the Texans.

This new law:

A. Stopped immigration from the

United States.

B. Encouraged immigration from

Mexico and Europe.

C. Placed customs duties on goods made in foreign countries in order to discourage trade with the United States.

D. Set up new forts in Texas to

enforce these customs duties.

• http://www.floridafrontiersmen.org/FtGun.jpg

One result of the Law of April 6, 1830: Each side began to distrust the other side andskirmishes occurred in different settlements.

#3 NOTES: Law of April 6, 1830

Where? For Texas What happened?* stopped immigration from U.S.* customs duties on goods from U.S.* new forts to enforce the above taxes Result? Texans were angry. Mexicans did not trust Texans.

Physical Conflicts between Texans and Mexicans occurred

at the towns of Anahuac and Velasco because of these

customs duties.

ANAHUACA fight began when merchants protested having to travel long

distances to pay taxes on goods coming across the border. When two Texans, William B. Travis and

Patrick C. Jack, were arrested, several men went to Brazoria to get

a cannon to fight.

#4 NOTES: Tax Protests at Anahuac

Where? Anahuac, Tx What happened? * Texans protested customs duties (taxes)

* Some men were arrested and jailed

Result?* Texans angry* Some went to get cannon to release those jailed

VELASCOMexican officials would not let the cannon, now loaded on aship, pass Velasco on its way to Anahuac. Both Texans and Mexicans died in the skirmish over the cannon.

While the colonists in Anahuac waited on the cannon, they

issued a series of statements known as the Turtle Bayou

Resolutions. They claimed that in fighting, they were not rebelling against Mexican

authority…

but instead were supporting the Constitution of 1824 and the

revolutionist Santa Anna, who was leading a rebellion against

the Centralist President Anastasio Bustamonte.

Page 1of theTurtleBayou

Resolutions

#5 NOTES: Velasco Skirmish VELASCO: * Skirmish over cannon* Men on both sides killed

TURTLE BAYOU:* Some Texans made resolutions pledging loyalty to Mexico, Constitution of 1824, and Santa Anna

In 1832, the Centralist President Anastasio Bustamonte,

resigned. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna became president.

Most Texas colonists were pleased. They thought Santa

Anna would support Texas because he was a Federalist.

The Convention of 1832

With new optimism, Texans called a convention to discuss changes needed in Texas. 58 delegates assembled in San Felipe on October 1, 1832. Stephen F. Austin

was elected president of the convention.

The convention made several resolutions

to discuss with President Santa Anna:

The Convention of 1832• Texas should be made a separate Mexican

state.

• Immigration from the United States should be permitted again.

• Exemption from certain import taxes

• Improved educational facilities

• Better protection from Native Americans

*** For various reasons, these resolutions were never presented to officials in Mexico.

The Convention of 1833

A few months later, a second convention

convened at San Felipe. The Convention of

1833 adopted the same resolutions as those

adopted in 1832. However, they also prepared a constitution for the proposed

Mexican state of Texas. Of the three delegates chosen to carry the resolutions to

Mexico City, only Stephen Austin was able to

make the trip.

#6 NOTES: Conventions at San Felipe

Where? San Felipe What happened? * Men voted on improvements wanted for Texas (ex: immigration from U.S. ; less taxes; Texas a separate state) Result?* Stephen Austin was to take the resolutions to Santa Anna in Mexico City

In April of 1833, Stephen Austintraveled to Mexico City to discuss the many concerns of Texas withthe new president, Santa Anna. Austin was unable to obtainan audience with Santa Anna for several months. One reason for this delay was a cholera epidemicwhich killed thousands in Mexico.

By October, Austin wasbecoming discouraged. He wrote a letter to authorities in San Antonio describing the difficulties he faced. In that letter, Austin encouraged Texans to begin forming theirown state government.

Finally, in November of 1833,Austin was allowed to meet with Santa Anna. Santa Anna agreed to the following:

1. Citizens may immigrate from the U.S again.

2. Mexico will improve Texas court and postal systems.

BUT:

3. Texas may not become an independent

Mexican state.

Stephen Austin left to return to Texas, pleased with his

accomplishment.

In January 1834, Austin reached the town of Saltillo in northern Mexico. The letter he had written to authorities inSan Antonio, authorizing them to draw up a constitution for the newMexican state of Texas,had been intercepted. Austin was arrested and taken back toMexico City.

http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/mex-war/santa-anna-1.gif

In 1834, Santa Anna’s promised reforms had begun in Texas:

A. English became an official business

language.

B. Immigration from the United States

was once again allowed.

C. The Texas court system was

improved.

D. The number of Texas representatives was increased from

one to three in the legislature.

E. Religious tolerance fornon-Catholics was granted.

After one year in prison, Austin was released on Christmas Day, 1834. He was required to stay in Mexico City for six months and wait on a final decision on his case. Austin returned to Texas on September 1, 1835. He had been away from his colony for two years and four months.

Notes #7: SFA ArrestedWhere? Saltillo & Mexico CityWhat happened? Stephen Austin was arrested for treason b/c he had written aletter advising Texans to write a consti-tution for the “Mexican state of Texas.”

Result? * In prison for 1 year* Away from his colony for 2 years & 4 months

Early in 1835, trouble between Mexicans and Texans erupted

again around Anahuac.

Residents in Anahuac again quarreled about customs duties

(taxes on imports).William Travis and others

refused to pay the tax until the law was enforced equally.

They also forced the Mexican commander there to leave

Texas.

Local leaders of the Peace Party from several towns did not approve of the actions taken by Travis. Those at San Felipe wrote an apology to General Martin Perfecto de Cos, Santa Anna’s brother-in-law and commander of the Mexican forces in Coahuila.

General Cos was in no mood for an apology. He was upset by the fiery

words of the Texans, and demanded the arrest of those

involved, including Travis.In doing so, he was acting on Santa Anna’s orders. Santa Anna was no longer a Federalist; he had become

a Centralist.

After long consideration, Stephen Austin had become

convinced that Santa Anna was becoming a dictator (a ruler with

absolute power.) He urged Texans to unite against him.

“War is our only recourse. There is no other remedy. We must defend our rights, ourselves, and our country by force of arms.”

http//www.latinamericanstudies.org/19-century/austin-1.jpg

Notes #8: Arrests at AnahuacWhere: AnahuacWhat happened: More protests & arrests at Anahuac over taxes. Mexican officials there run out of town.Result: Some Texans try to apologize but General Cos is furious with the Texans.

A Mexican Army Arrives in Texas

• In 1835, tension continued to build in Texas.

• Mexican officials felt that Texian radicals like William B. Travis were becoming disloyal, and that more soldiers were needed.

• General Cos arrived with additional troops. This brought the number of Mexican soldiers in San Antonio to 650.

The presence of the Mexican soldiers in Texas caused concern among the Texas settlers. Towns formed Committees of Correspondence – local groups that shared political and military information – to keep the colonists informed. Patrols watched the roads to givewarnings ofapproachingtroops.

Notes #9: Cos brings soldiers to Tx.

Where? San AntonioWhat happened? Gen. Cos brings650 troops to San Antonio to controland arrest rebellious Texans.Result? Very concerned Texans form committees to monitor actions of soldiers.

Gonzales – The Lexington of Texas

The first conflict between Mexican troops and Texan colonists came at Gonzales on October 2, 1835.

Why was Gonzales known as the Lexington of Texas?

• The first battle of the American Revolution had taken place at Lexington, Massachusetts, when British soldiers had attempted to take arms and ammunition away from the people.

• The battle of Gonzales had a similar beginning.

Surrenderyour

artillery!

Give usthe cannon!

The Mexican commander at San Antonio, Colonel Ugartechea, ordered the people of Gonzales to surrender their small brass cannon. When the citizens refused, Colonel Ugartechea ordered about 100 soldiers to take the cannon by force.

When the Mexican troops arrived at Gonzales, they faced about 160

armed Texans, who had decorated the front of the cannon with a white flag that bore the words “Come and Take It.” The fighting lasted only

a few minutes. One Mexican soldier was killed. No Texans died in the confrontation. The Mexicans

withdrew toward San Antonio.

http://www.firstshotphoto.com/images/Gonzales%20Cannon.gif

http://0rl7i/firstshotphoto/old%20eighteen%20and%20cannon.gif

http://0rl7i/firstshotphoto/come%20and%20take%20it%20pioneer%20village.gif

Notes #10: Battle of GonzalesWhere: GonzalesWhat happened: Settlers refuse to hand over a small brass cannon loaned to them to fight off Tonkawa Indians. Tell 100 Mexican soldiers to “Come and Take it!” Result: One Mexican killed. Santa Anna considered this as the outbreak of war. October 2, 1835.

At San Antonio, General Cos regarded the actions at Gonzales as the

outbreak of war. Many Texas colonists who had been indifferent about the

prospect of fighting were now enthusiastic.

We cantake ‘em!

The Consultation of 1835

While Texan militia troops campednear San Antonio to keep an eye onMexican soldiers, other Texans representing 14 towns and districtsmet in San Felipe to consult on aplan of action.

War Party delegates favored an immediate declaration of indepen-dence from Mexico.

Peace Party delegates favored adeclaration that Texans were loyalMexican citizens and that they werefighting for the Mexican Constitutionof 1824, which Santa Anna had overthrown.

The Texans final declaration to theMexican government stated that Texans were no longer united withthe current Mexican dictatorship and urged Mexican citizens to fight with them for a democratic government.

Notes #11: Consultation of 1835

Where? San Felipe

What happened? 58 Texan delegates metto form a plan and compose a statementto present to Santa Anna.

Result? Texans stated that they wereloyal Mexican citizens, but declared waron Santa Anna and his dictatorship.