Road to Texas Independence-Texas Independence Day
188 years ago, on the 2nd of March, 1836, Texas formally declared its independence from Mexico. The Texas Declaration of Independence was signed at Washington-on-the-Brazos, now commonly referred to as the “birthplace of Texas.” Similar to the United States Declaration of Independence, this document focused on the rights of citizens to “life” and “liberty” but with an emphasis on the “property of the citizen.”
The Texas Declaration of Independence was issued during a revolution against the Santa Anna, who had illegally set himself up as dictator and the Mexican government (referred to as the Central Government who opposed the rights of the citizens favored by those who identified as the Federalists) that began on 2 October 1835 at Gonzales Texas (Come and Take it) following a series of government edicts including the dissolution of state legislatures, disarmament of state militias, and the most aggrievous, the abolition of the Constitution of 1824 which stripped all citizens of Mexico of their rights. Texas was not the only state of Mexico that rebelled against the tyranny of Santa Anna and the rebellions were brutally squashed. Even Santa Anna’s home state of Vera Cruz rose up against the overreach.
In the 1800s, owning property for farming or ranching was critical for most to build and create any personal wealth. Why migrating to Texas and it’s rich lands was so popular. Not only did Santa Anna strip all citizens of their rights, he also threatened to revoke all land grants and threatened to seize the property.
By December 1835, Texians (Anglo-American settlers) and Tejanos (Mexican citizens who had settled in Texas) captured the town of San Antonio and the garrison at the Alamo. Two months later, on February 23, 1836, Mexican troops under General Antonio López de Santa Anna arrived in San Antonio to retake the city. In doing so, the Siege of the Alamo began. Although Sam Houston ordered Texans to abandon San Antonio, a group of rebels decided to defend the town and make their stand at an abandoned Spanish mission, the Alamo. VICTORY OR DEATH (from Travis’ famous letter from the Alamo)
59 delegates from across the state were elected and came to Washington-on-the-Brazos. The ranged from Pro-Independence delegates as well as Pro-Federalist (restore the Constitution of 1824, Texas to become a separate state under Mexican rule). They included Tejanos Lorenzo de Zavala and Jose Antonio Navarro (Navarro and delegate Jose Fransico Ruiz were both born in Texas) as well as notables like Thomas Jefferson Rusk and Sam Houston. The Convention of 1836 was called to order on 1 March
Officers of the Convention
David G Burnet, President
Lorenzo de Zavala, Vice President
Samuel P. Carson, Secretary of State
Thomas J Rusk, Secretary of War
Bailey Hardeman, Secretary of Treasury
David Thomas, Attorney General
Sam Houston, Commander in Chief Texas Army
On the 2nd of March, the Declaration of Independence, authored by George Childress was voted and the Republic of Texas was officially born.
Long live the Republic.
As a proud Son of the Texas Republic, 6th and 7th Generation Texan, our unique history is important. Texas is different. Neither South nor Southwest. The great author John Steinbeck’s quote about Texas says it best:
