Texan Independence

• Americans settled in Texas, then part of Mexico, from the 1820s
• Most were Southerners and many took their slaves with them
• In 1829, Mexico passed a law to free its slaves and in 1830 prohibited further American immigration into Texas
• American Texans defied both laws and for some years, the Mexican government was too weak to enforce its authority
• By 1835, there were 30,000 American immigrants in Texas (and 5000 slaves) and only 5000 Mexicans
• Efforts of the Mexican President General Santa Anna to enforce authority was resented by American immigrants and over 1835-6 winter, they declared independence
• Santa Anna marched North with a large army
• 187 Texans put up defence at the Alamo but fell March 1836
• There were no Alamo survivors and American President Johnson sympathised yet sent no aid
• Yet hundreds of Americans from the South and the West rushed to help
• In April 1836, American-Texan army, led by Sam Houston, defeated the Mexicans at the Battle of San Jacinto
• Santa Anna was captured and forced to recognise Texan independence