Remember the Alamo Newsela

​Remember the Alamo! March, 6 1836

​By Cricket Media, adapted by Newsela staff

​Remember the Alamo! March, 6 1836

​Key Terms	​Definitions
​empire (noun)	​a group of countries or regions that are controlled by one ruler or one government
​colonizing (verb)	​the act of establishing a colony in (a place) by moving people from the home country to the new place
​loyalty (noun)	​a strong feeling of support or allegiance
​revolt (verb)	​to fight in a violent way against the rule of a leader or government
​hostility (noun)	unfriendly or aggressive behavior towards people or idea; warfare
​factors (noun)	a circumstance, fact, or influence that contributes to a result or outcome

Remember the Alamo! March 6, 1836

The View From The Crow's Nest

When the Spanish empire began settling the New World, they built missions. Missions were settlements to teach Christianity to Native Americans. One of these missions was the Mission of San Antonio de Valero. Later, it would be known as the Alamo.

In 1718, Spain owned Mexico. Spanish settlers were colonizing, or settling, in the present-day southwestern United States. The Mission of San Antonio de Valero was established in present-day San Antonio, Texas. Built on the San Antonio River, the settlement had its own presidio, or fort. The fort was created to keep out nearby Native American groups. The Mission of San Antonio de Valero was a large, strong-walled structure.

By 1793, the mission was empty. But on March 6, 1836, a violent battle broke out. Before then, the Alamo was not an important location. So, how did the phrase "Remember the Alamo" become famous?

Multiple Choice

What did settlers have to do to remain on the land in Texas?

• Learn to speak Spanish

• Build a fort to defend the land

• Pay a large sum of money to the Mexican government

• Pledge loyalty to Mexico and adopt the Roman Catholic religion

Remember the Alamo! March 6, 1836

Settlers Pledge Loyalty For Land

In 1821, Stephen Austin led American settlers into Texas. At this time, the Mexican government controlled Texas land. Mexico set aside 66,000 acres of land. The government wanted to bring 300 families in to develop and defend the land for Mexico. For two years, Austin worked with the Mexican government to establish his claim to the land. In 1823, the Mexican government agreed. However, to remain on the land in Texas, the settlers needed to pledge loyalty to Mexico. They also needed to adopt the Roman Catholic religion.

Remember the Alamo! March 6, 1836

Settlers Pledge Loyalty For Land

These new settlers wanted to leave the United States for several reasons. Many of them had enslaved people. In Texas, they saw a chance to farm and grow cotton on large plantations. Others had large debts to pay back in the United States. Mexico promised to protect these people from any debt collectors. Others viewed Texas as a new frontier. They could start a new life on better land. Historians believe that about 30,000 settlers moved to Texas in the 10 years following Stephen Austin's first colony.

The Mexican government became worried about this increase of people. A large number of settlers could be difficult to control. In 1830, the Mexican Congress passed laws to close the border. But the area was too large to be controlled. New settlers continued to arrive.

Multiple Choice

Who sent Santa Anna's "messenger of defeat" after the battle at the Alamo?

• Enrique Esparza

• Clara Driscoll

• William Travis

• Susanna Dickinson

Remember the Alamo! March 6, 1836

Conflict And Frustration Leads To Fighting

The settlers and the Mexican government were growing more frustrated with each other. Fights broke out along the border. At that time, Mexico was divided into states with individual state governments. Texas belonged to another state. This meant the settlers had little input in their government. In 1834, Stephen Austin asked permission for the settlers to start their own state government. But he was put in jail. Austin was released within the year and returned to Texas to peacefully fix these problems. Still, many of the Texas settlers were ready to revolt.

Antonio Lòpez de Santa Anna was elected as the president of Mexico in 1833. A year later, Santa Anna seized total power. By the end of 1835, Santa Anna sent General Martìn Cos to Texas. Santa Anna believed the people of Texas were about to rebel. General Cos led Mexican soldiers into settlements and took over Texas towns.

Remember the Alamo! March 6, 1836

Conflict And Frustration Leads To Fighting

The Texians responded by arming themselves. They fought back against the soldiers. On October 2, 1835, in a small town east of San Antonio called Gonzales, the Mexicans demanded the surrender of a cannon. Instead, the Texians fired the cannon. This forced the Mexicans to retreat. This short battle became known as "the Lexington of the Texas Revolution." It marked the beginning of open revolt.

The Texas settlers were now fighting Santa Anna's huge army. In the end, General Cos surrendered. He promised never to fight the Texians again! However, the worst battle would happen several months later, in March.

Multiple Choice

What was the original purpose of the Mission of San Antonio de Valero?

• To be a place for Spanish settlers to live

• To teach Christianity to Native Americans

• To be a trading post

• To serve as a military base

Remember the Alamo! March 6, 1836

A Brief Battle At The Alamo

The battle at the Alamo only lasted 90 minutes. There are disagreements over what truly happened that day. One source says that 188 defenders lost their lives. A few included Davy Crockett, William Travis and James Bowie. The same source believes between 1,800 and 2,400 Mexican soldiers attacked the Alamo.

Remember the Alamo! March 6, 1836

A Brief Battle At The Alamo

One survivor was Susanna Dickinson. Santa Anna sent her as his "messenger of defeat." Susanna carried a letter from the Mexican general to Sam Houston, a Texian rebel. Santa Anna requested that the Texians return to their homes and submit to his rule. Houston was forced to retreat.

What became of the Alamo? For years it fell into ruin. Weeds grew up over the crumbling walls. Los alamos are the cottonwood trees that grew there. They were cut down to make room for the growing community of San Antonio. Clara Driscoll led a group called the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. They made sure part of the Alamo was kept as a historic landmark.

Remember the Alamo! March 6, 1836

The Legend Of The Alamo

The legend of the Alamo is one of heroes and glory. It is a story of brave men who died so that others could be free. But it is important to remember that legends are popular versions of stories passed down over time.

Enrique Esparza was another survivor of the battle. He was 12 years old at the time. After the battle, Enrique's mother shared her thoughts with him. "She told me to forget the horror of all that I had seen, but to remember that no one who had been in the battle had had one thing to gain, and only the Texans who died were even remembered," he said. Why did she say that? Probably because she and Enrique were Mexican. She knew they were not considered to be true Texians.

As historians, we should look beyond the legend. The story of the Alamo is both legend and history. This offers us two ways of looking at an important moment from our past.

Multiple Choice

What was the original purpose of the Mission of San Antonio de Valero?

• To be a place for Spanish settlers to live

• To teach Christianity to Native Americans

• To be a trading post

• To serve as a military base

​​What factors led to the increasing hostility between the settlers and the Mexican government?

​To summarize, the hostility increased because the settlers did not want to pledge loyalty to the Mexican government and adopt the Roman Catholic religion, and the Mexican government worried they would lose control of the growing population of Texians.

The United States settler Texians revolted agains the control of the Mexican government control.

Settlers migrated to Texas to grow cotton on plantations.
The article states that, "30,000 settlers moved to Texas," in a short period of time.
This increase made the Mexican government worried that they would lose control.

The Mexican government required the settlers to pledge loyalty to Mexico.
Additionally, the Mexican government required settlers to be Roman Catholic.
Stephen Austin could not "peacefully fix the problems."

The Mexican government was afraid of the large amount of people migrating to Texas because this made the population harder to control.

​Some of the factors that lead to increasing hostility between the settlers and the Mexican government include the Mexican government losing control of the people and forcing the Roman Catholic religion on the Texians.

What factors led to the increasing hostility between the settlers and the Mexican government?

Some of the factors that lead to increasing hostility between the settlers and the Mexican government include the Mexican government losing control of the people and forcing the Roman Catholic religion on the Texians.

The Mexican government was afraid of the large amount of people migrating to Texas because this made the population harder to control. Settlers migrated to Texas to grow cotton on plantations. The article states that, "30,000 settlers moved to Texas," in a short period of time. This increase made the Mexican government worried that they would lose control.

The United States settler Texians revolted agains the control of the Mexican government control. The Mexican government required the settlers to pledge loyalty to Mexico. Additionally, the Mexican government required settlers to be Roman Catholic. Stephen Austin could not "peacefully fix the problems."

​ To summarize, the hostility increased because the settlers did not want to pledge loyalty to the Mexican government and adopt the Roman Catholic religion, and the Mexican government worried they would lose control of the growing population of Texians.