The War for Mexican Independence (1810—1821) and the age of the empresarios (1820s – 1830s) both had an enormous influence on the conflict that evolved into the Texas Revolution. The Mexican Independence movement planted seeds for a democratic, representative government in the hearts and minds of those living in Texas.
The war was devastating for San Antonio. Nearly half of its population perished during the struggle for independence. Frequently the target of raids by indigenous people and never having received appropriate government support, San Antonio’s existence was not guaranteed. Furthermore, colonists immigrating to Texas in the age of the empresarios brought with them similar notions of representative government. In contrast to their Mexican counterparts, Anglo’s coming to Texas were more philosophically informed by the United States own struggle for independence fifty years before.
The Texas Revolution might seem like an isolated event, but it is deeply rooted in the intersectional histories and events of a diverse group of stakeholders in the decades that preceded the short-lived Republic of Texas (1836—1845). Historians are tasked with synthesizing complex histories into comprehensible narratives. They must decide what information is worthy of inclusion. In this activity, students step into the shoes of historians and collaboratively construct a timeline of events leading up to the Texas Revolution.