Introduction
Battle of the Alamo is one of the most critical events in the Texas Revolution and the history of both Mexico and America. The Battle of Alamo was a war that was fought between the Republic of Texas and Mexico. The battle took place between February 23 and March 6th, 1836 at San Antonio in Texas ( Snow & Robbins , 2015). The war came as a significant event for both the Mexican president and General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, as it marked a tale of determination as well as the need to hold to the strong principles of the central government. It was a venture for the revolutionary ideas for the Americans living in Texas because people felt they needed to have a say on how they can be democratically be governed. Due to the serious disagreement between Mexico and the settlers who lived in Texas, tension arose as people sought to have a revolution and create democracy in their form of governance. While the Mexican government had sought to take back the control of the land that was occupied by the Texans, General Antonio had also planned his march to reach San Antonio.
Overview of the Battle
The Mission San Antonio de Valero was established in the 18th century along the San Antonio River. During the 1700s, Alamo was constructed as the home to the Spanish missionaries. Later, the mission was turned into the fort for Spanish soldiers and was known as Alamo. Towards the end of the 1820s, Americans began to arrive at San Antonio where they established their settlement ( Snow & Robbins , 2015). While the missionaries initially occupied the land, they were displaced, and their land seized later used for military purposes. The first soldiers to occupy Alamo were the Spanish, and then they were followed by Mexican soldiers. Mexico gained its independence from Spain by 1820s and settlers began to flock to Texas. The fight for independence between Mexico and Texans had developed to an extreme level. In February 1836, the matters got worse leading to two leaders, George Collinsworth, and Benjamin Milan, led a group of people to overtake the garrison at the Alamo.
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During this time, Colonel James Bowie and Lieutenant William Travis had been prepared to protect Alamo from the Mexicans who were planning to take it back. The Texas forces were not large in number compared to the Mexicans who were over 2000 soldiers. On March 6th, the Mexicans emerged as the winners of the battle.
Leading up to the Battle
After gaining its independence in1821 from Spain, Texas was part of Mexico, and the United States government was similar to that of Mexico. Many people moved from America to Texas where they became the citizens of Mexico. After the Mexican general Santa Ann took control of the government in 1832, the Texans did not like his leadership style ( Snow & Robbins , 2015). The started to rebel against the leader leading to them declaring their independence in 1836. General Santa Anna decided to go and take back the Texas land. On getting this news, Texans remained non-uniform as others felt they should abandon the land while the rest wanted them to stay.
On February 23, General Santa Anna arrived at Alamo with over 1800 troops where they began the siege. The Texans were held under siege for 13 days that marked a moment of history ( Snow & Robbins , 2015). While many other freedom battles have been fought, the Battle of Alamo has been considered one of the most significant to the two countries involved. Three revolutions have been recorded as having led to the Battle of the Alamo. First, the Spanish revolt against French after their occupation into Spanish land in 1808. French invaded Spain, and it took over six years for the Spain forces to eject the French emperor from the Spanish land. As the Spanish revolt continued to spread across the ocean, the Mexicans also developed a revolt against the Spanish ( Snow & Robbins , 2015). This revolt moved quickly passed the Mexican territory of Texas. San Antonio, which was the capital of Texas, emerged as the center for the revolutionary activities as more revolt continued to rise. It took 11 years of struggle before Mexico finally gained its freedom in 1821.
After the Texans were held out for 13 days by the Mexican troops, they were overpowered on the 6th day of March 1836. The Texans tried to fight back in the war, but they were disadvantaged due to the few numbers of soldiers compared to those of Mexicans ( Huffines, 2014 ). The Mexican soldiers managed to get through the walls of the fort and launch their attack. All the Texas soldiers in the fort were killed in what was a fierce attack in the world’s history fight for freedom. The Texas soldiers included 200 volunteers as they were led by Ben Milan in fighting back the Mexican troops. The number of the Mexican soldiers were between1800 and 6000, a number that was far much larger compared to them.
Before this revolutionary war, there existed peace and cohabitation between the people of Mexico and Americans. The Americans had migrated to Texas to create their settlement in the region. The Mexicans also settled in the land and did not bar people from other areas to settle in the land and develop it. As more Americans moved to Mexico, it marked a new beginning for the relationship between the two groups ( Huffines, 2014 ). The Americans living in Texas lived well with the Mexicans for years as they engaged in many activities in the land involving cultivation. However, things changed after a new ruler took over the governance of Mexico. Texans felt that the leader was not democratic yet they wanted to be ruled and led by a democratic leader who would allow them to take part in making certain decisions. The formation of a rebellion by the Texans led to much tension that could finally lead to the revolutionary war.
While the facts about the Battle of the Alamo has been continuously argued, there is no doubt that the real aim of the war has been known. Many historians continue to remember the battle as the struggle for the impossible, a place where people came together to fight for freedom. The war which left more soldiers dead than alive remains as a show of sacrifice and determination of the young men and women to fight for their democracy and achieve freedom. The Texan leaders such as James Bowie and Colonel William Travis played a key role in leading the volunteers to fight for what can be termed as a freedom war ( Huffines, 2014 ). Despite their small number compared to the opponents, they stood out as role models who can lead the rest of the citizens to fight for their freedom.
The legacy of the Battle of the Alamo
After the Battle of the Alamo, Mexican forces stood to occupy the Alamo land. For the Texans, the battle acts as a symbol of heroic resistance and a unity fight in the struggle for freedom. It ensured that Texas remained freedom and achieve a democratic leadership style. Even though it remains unclear on the reason why some Texans could volunteer to die in the war, their sacrifice brought independence to Texas ( Lincoln IV, 2019 ). This created the way for the expansion of the Pacific and added many miles into America. Due to the sacrifice of the young men and women in the war, Alamo to date remains one of the important areas as it symbolizes the struggle that they went through to realize freedom.
The United States annexed Texas in 1845, years after the Battle of the Alamo had ended. The state of Texas later purchased Alamo in 1883, which then led to the acquisition of the land property rights in the land ( Lincoln IV, 2019 ). Many people from Texas continued to manage Alamo as millions of people visit the land annually. The Battle of the Alamo symbolizes that the struggle for the freedom by these heroes was not in vain, but led to loyalty and freedom. It is a show of loyalty to the principles of American patriotism and a symbol of unity. The war remains critical in the history of the fight for independence as it marks the dedication and sacrifice that was made by the Texan soldiers to deliberate their people from oppression and dictatorship.
Conclusion
The Battle of Alamo is one of the most significant events that ever took place in the Texas revolution. It was a determination for the leaders to hold a strong central government and to stick to the principles of democracy. It was a venture for the revolutionary ideas for their nation. The outcome of the battle brought peace, freedom, and democracy in Texas leading to a stronger and more centralized government where people could have a say and decide how they want to be ruled. It demonstrates the last stand for the heroes to prove their loyalty to the principles of the land and to create a more democratic form of government. Throughout the history of America, the Battle of the Alamo remains a symbol of freedom and democracy.
References
Snow, M., & Robbins, M. (2015). How Should We Remember the Alamo? Critical Analyses of Four Graphic Histories. Social Studies Research & Practice (Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama) , 10 (2).
Huffines, A. C. (2014). The Texas War of Independence 1835–36: From Outbreak to the Alamo to San Jacinto . Bloomsbury Publishing.
Lincoln IV, C. E. A. (2019). The Battle of the Alamo, a Tax Haven?. Available at SSRN 3317986 .
