Challenges Of Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca

Spain was first influenced by Christopher Columbus who was successful in gaining territory and wealth in his exploration in 1492. They hoped to gain the same therefore the spanish explorers also known as conquistadors traveled across the atlantic ocean and arrived in southern land known as Texas today. Among those explorers was Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca whom was one of the few survivors in the first spanish exploration to Texas that took eight years. The spanish conquistadors were not lucky to find the wealth they hoped for, instead they went through many challenges. The main challenge being that very few survived on their way to Texas, and once they arrived were trapped by American Indians who had already settled the land. Once Alvar and

Mexican soldiers were sent to the town of Gonzales to retrieve a cannon stationed there to fight off indian attacks. The Texans would not allow any Mexican soldiers in town there was a standoff, but eventually some of the Texans began to fire on the Mexican soldiers at that moment war had officially began. The rebels led by Stephen Austin surrounded the city of Bahar known as San Antonio today. There Santa Anna's brother in law, general Martin Perfecto de Colts led Mexican forces to defend the city from siege by the Texans. For two months the city was under siege until finally general colts surrendered on December 12, 1835. Santa Ana was not able to take control of that situation in the first place because he had became president and had other duties. Once he found out that Colts has surrendered he decided to put his presidential duties aside and lead the army of several thousand that headed towards the city of San Antonio in Texas on February 23, 1836. The Texas were not prepared for this turning point that the 200 men including William Travis and Davy Crockett in the army fled to a nearby catholic mission called the Alamo. Soon after on March 6, 1836 Santa Ana launched an early morning assault killing nearly everyone at the Alamo including Travis and Crockett. One survivor was Susanna Dickinson whom was sent by Santa Ana to Gonzales to warn Texans about the power and strength of the Mexican army which caused the runaway scrape. The runaway scrape was a hard time for the Texans and as they traveled away from the land diseases spread and many died trying to