Juan Seguin's Famous Fights

Hidalgo’s following grew from 300 to over ½ million people and in not time Hidalgo’s enraged revolutionaries tore through Mexico. After moderate success Hidalgo was defeated by a band of Royalists and while fleeing the country for the US he was disowned by one of his fellow companions and killed. Another priest named Jose Morelos from then on would lead the fighting. He would finally accomplish what Hidalgo had set out to do, lead Mexico to independence, from Spain in 1821.

In the December of 1835, during the Texas Revolution, the Alamo was occupied by two hundred Texan soldiers located near the present day in San Antonio. The Alamo was a church in the middle of San Antonio. William Travis and James Bowie were the commanders who were prepared to defend the Alamo from the Mexicans who wanted it back. Unfortunately, the Texan soldiers were outnumbered to secure the Alamo from General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna by thousands of his soldiers. The battle was only for thirteen days and Santa Anna slaughtered everyone except for a few such as a widowed wife named Susanna Wilkerson Dickinson, her infant daughter Angelina, and the one person who witnessed the final assault and survived named Joe. For the Texans, the battle of the Alamo is an "image of brave resistance and a rallying cry in their battle for freedom." This urged more Texans to join the military and lead the following fight to triumph against Mexico. The battle cry “Remember the Alamo!” within Texas culture was a symbol of “Patriotic sacrifice.”

Sam Houston played a monumental role in sparking the Texas revolution. He believed that independence from Mexico was necessary saying that “war inevitable” and “urging volunteers to come to the aid of their Anglo brethren” (p. 60). Also, Houston’s role as commander-in-chief of the army was very important in winning the war for Texas Independence. After the capture of Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto, many of the soldiers in the Texas Army wanted to execute him on the spot. But because of Sam Houston’s level head, he knew that “his prisoner was the key to removing all Mexicans soldiers from Texas without further bloodshed”, and “Jacinto became his password to Texas heroism forever” (p. 85-87). Furthermore, Houston’s leadership as the president of the Republic of Texas “kept the republic alive until it became a part of his mother country” (p. 198).

Hernan (also Hernando or Fernando) Cortes was born in Medellin, Estramadura, in Spain in 1485 to a family of minor nobility.

Knowing that the Texans were not obeying Mexico’s laws, the Mexican President sent Antonio López de Santa Anna to fight and stop the revolting Texans. “Santa Anna gained his earliest military experience fighting for the Spanish army

Sam Houston was born in Rockbridge, Virginia in 1793 and died in Huntsville, Texas in 1863. He lead an adventurous life that involved the Creek Indian War and the War for Texas Independence. During his lifetime he was a Congressman and a Governor for the state of Tennessee. He lived among the Cherokee Indians and became a lifelong advocate for Native American rights. He was twice elected the President of Texas and later, after its annexation to the United States, he was elected twice as its Senator and its Governor. Although he demonstrated great leadership as a politician in Tennessee, his greatest influences were in Texas and the American Southwest. In this way, he helped to shape the future of two states and the destiny of the United States.

The battle for Texas’ independence was a hard battle. Many lives were taken, home destroyed, and families were torn apart. Texas residents wanted to break away from Mexico and become a self-governing republic inside of Mexico because they did not like Santa Anna’s laws. Mexico did not allow slave immigration, so Texas wanted to be a part of the United States that allowed slavery. But the main reason was that Mexico would not change or consider any government ideas that the Anglos and Mexicans had for Texas, and resulted in Santa Anna ruling and making all the laws and decisions. Santa Anna also overthrew the Mexican government and made himself the Mexican dictator. Stephen Austin came to try and settle the trouble caused by the suggestion of Texas’ constitution, but instead Santa Anna imprisoned him for a year.

To understand how became a Texas Hero we must first explore the struggles that lead him to Texas and eventually. Houston’s early years where less than promising despite being named after his famous father. Houston disliked working on the family farm and going to school. When given the chance to leave the hard work of the farm and work as a clerk Houston choose to runaway. When he ran away meet with and was accepted into the Cherokee tribe not far from his family’s farm. Here he found comfort and acceptance in the tribe. Years later he returned to the white settlement becoming a teacher and then joining the Tennessee Militia. Later he would serve in the United States House of Representatives. In 1829 Houston married Eliza Allen of Tennessee, however the marriage was short lived. After Houston’s failed marriage he resigned his office and headed west out of Tennessee where he rejoined living with the Cherokee. However, this time he returned depressed and took to drinking heavenly.

Explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto was born c. 1500 to a noble but poor family in Jerez de los Caballeros, Spain. He was raised at the family manor. A generous patron named Pedro Arias Dávila funded de Soto's education at the

Juan Nepomuceno Cortina was a man who was a rebel and a soldier who fought many battles that he believed was right for Mexicans in Texas and in Mexico. He took part of the Cortina Wars, where he fought Anglo or white Americans by stealing from them after how they treated Mexicans in Texas. He even took part of the War when Mexico went against the French invasion with Emperor Maximiliam, and he even helped out the Union in the American Civil war around that year. Cortina was on top of the in ranks and became Governor of Tamaulipas in Mexico. This man had many battles that he has faced in many years of violence he seen in wars and even during his own childhood. He would be known to many Mexicans as a folk hero and has Cheno Cortina, which was

Juan Nepomuceno Seguin – Was a 19th-century Texas Senator, mayor, judge, and Justice of the Peace and a prominent participant in the Texas Revolution. Juan Nepomuceno Seguin was born in San Antonio de Bexar on October 27, 1806. He was the older of two sons of Erasmo Seguin

Miguel Hidalgo was born in Mexico, 1753. His parents were both Spanish, and he was the youngest of four sons. One of his beliefs was that Mexicans should be free and self-governed. He tried talking to the Spaniards about treatment of Native Mexicans. The Spanish employers would not listen to Hidalgo, so he thought that the only way to get them to listen was to rebel.

The siege, fall and ensuing massacre of nearly two hundred Alamo defenders at the hands of Mexican General, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna y Perez de Lebron’s army of over five thousand was a defining moment in both Texan, and American history. For 13 days against insurmountable odds, a small, but very determined Texan garrison force fended off an equally determined Mexican Army ordered to capture it. I’ll discuss the events and political climate leading up to the siege, key historic figures involved on both sides, the siege itself, along with events immediately following the battle. The iconic phrase, “Remember the Alamo!” would later go on to become a rallying cry at the Battle of San Jacinto.

Santa Anna was a major contributor to the Texas Revolution. He joined the Spanish army then turned his allegiance to the Mexican army when that became the popular thing to do. He fought against Spain to make Mexico a free nation. He was elected President of Mexico in1833, just one year later he turned Mexico into a dictatorship. He wanted power and recognition. He did not seem to want the power for any specific purpose except to say that he had it. Santa Anna had been a general of 2000 men during the battle of the Alamo. He had surprised the soldiers at the Alamo. Santa Anna and his troops won at the Alamo. There had only been about 150 soldiers at the Alamo to defend it. They had sent for help but the help did not arrive in time. Santa Anna

Hernan Cortes was a fierce conquistador from Spain that grew up in a noble family. In 1504, he headed out for Hispaniola but ended up in Cuba in 1511. Cortes convinced the Cuban governor to let him be the leader and general of an expedition to Mexico. He then established Veracruz, and was elected official General. Cortes scorched his ships. His men were skeptical about