The Alamo: A Symbol of Texan Independence

1187 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Essays on texas independence movement

“Remember the Alamo” is a phrase that is etched in the American psyche. The Alamo became such a powerful symbol of the struggles of freedom vs. tyranny for several reasons including who died at the battle and the immediate effect it had on the fledgling Texan independence movement. Although the Battle of the Alamo was a military failure, it immediately became a symbol of Texas. The Alamo didn’t become a symbol of Texan independence because it was a good idea on the Texan’s part. It became a symbol of Texan independence because a lot of brave men made a very, very rash decision. They decided to defend a point they knew they couldn’t defend to the last man. These brave Texan’s willingly laid down their lives to “fight the good fight.” Three of the most memorable heroes were William Barret Travis, Jim Bowie, and Davy Crocket. William Barret Travis was born in Edgefield Co. S.C. He trained to become a lawyer and practiced in Claiborne, Alabama. He came to Texas both to make his fortune and because he supported the revolt against Texas (William Barret Travis). Santa Anna, the Mexican general, and dictator, who led the Mexican army against the Alamo, had already sent another general to do the job. This first general, Santa Anna’s brother-in-law, General Cos, had “ordered the arrest of several troublemakers, including William Barret Travis (Sorrels 31).” William Barret became the main reason the Alamo has so gripped people’s imaginations, both during the Texan independence and in the years that followed. As the battle continued he sent a string of captivating letters. Jim Bowie was originally the commander of the garrison of the Alamo but he was bedridden following a fall he sustained while fortifying the Alamo (Sorrels 59). Bowie wa... ... middle of paper ... ...t Travis, Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett, have joined the legion of American heroes (A, B, C). They stand with the cowboys and gunslingers, mountain men and pioneer wives, soldiers and surveyors, who helped make America great (A & B, C & D, E & F). Works Cited Hutton, Andrew Paul. “The Alamo, Well Remembered.” Wild West. 1 Feb 2011: 26 eLibrary. Web. 5 Mar. 2014. Landauro, Victor. “Remember the Alamo.” Junior Scholastic. 8 Dec. 2003: 14. eLibrary. Web. 5 Mar. 2014. “Sam Houston “Remember the Alamo!”: San Jacinto, Texas: April 19, 1836.” American Heritage Book of Great American Speeches for Young People 2001. 2001. eLibrary. Web. 5 Mar. 2014. Sorrels, Roy. The Alamo In American History. Enston Publishers, Inc, 1996. Print. “William Barret Travis.” Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition (2013): 1. Middle Search Plus. Web. 5 Mar. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • MG Hancock’s Division at the Battle of Fredericksburg

    2100 Words  | 5 Pages

    Major General Winfield Scott Hancock was a member of the West Point Class of 1844. He was commissioned into the infantry and served in the Mexican War. Prior to the battle of Fredericksburg, Hancock had earned a great reputation as a combat leader for his actions in the peninsular campaign.

    Read More

  • Goliad Massacre Thesis

    331 Words  | 1 Pages

    We just recently lost the Alamo and all the great men who fought for it. 189 men lost there lives fighting for the Alamo and they will be greatly remembered. The men held the fort for 13 days before Santa Anna and his army engulfed it. Santa Anna other wise know as napoleon of the west or the president of Mexico ordered his men to kill every one thou he let some women and children go to tell the tale. Soon after the lose of the Alamo general urrea executed 400 Texans under command of colonel Fannin which is known as Goliad massacre.

    Read More

  • Juan N. Seguin: Texas Hero

    3094 Words  | 7 Pages

    When studying Texas History there are names such as Sam Houston, Jim Bowie, and William Barrett Travis that are often brought up into discussion. These men had rolls of vital importance to the cause of revolution; however, other names such as Juan Nepomuceno Seguin may be much more obscure to those unaware of the rolls that such men played. Juan Seguin is mostly remembered as the currier to whom William Barrett Travis commissioned with the delivery of a letter to General Sam Houston requesting reinforcements and whose words were so inspiring that it may have given the Texans the push they needed to claim victory over the Mexican President Santa Anna. After independence was achieved from Mexico, Texas formed its own government in which Seguin served as a member of the Texas Senate. Seguin eventually lost all credibility and was forced to flee to Mexico because of accusations of betrayal. Was Juan Seguin’s participation in the Texas revolution limited to his delivery of the Travis letter to Sam Houston? Other than his participation at the Alamo and at San Jacinto, how significant of a part did Juan Seguin play in the Texas revolution? What lead to Seguin’s fall from favor in the eyes of the Texas government and earned him the label of traitor?

    Read More

  • Why Was Santa Anna Taken To America

    670 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many factors led to the Texicans’ decision to declare their independence. The declaration was due to a lack of tolerance for religion, the repealing of the constitution of 1824, an unstable government with an unstable president, and the closure of the Mexican legislature, a congress of nine declared Texas independent from Mexico, followed by a formal declaration on March 2, 1836. After the declaration, General Samuel Houston was appointed commander-in-chief for the Texican government. Immediately after the declaration, hostilities between Mexico and Texas began. Santa Anna sent back up to Texas, but the Texicans fought them off with bows and spears (Mckeehan). Santa Anna’s first mistake was his decision to go to Texas with 10,000 men behind him with no intention of mercy.

    Read More

  • The Alamo Research Paper Outline

    1384 Words  | 3 Pages

    Texas prides itself on a strong heritage and history. Events that happened when Texas fought to gain independence will forever remain preserved and idolized in the heart of every true Texan. One of the most famous events that occurred during the fight for independence happened at a place that was not well-known and did not hold much importance at the time, but because of the events that occurred there, it will forever be a place of remembrance and pride. This place is known as The Alamo. This paper focuses on the articles written by Brian C. Baur, Richard R. Flores, and Paul Andrew Hutton over The Alamo.

    Read More

  • General George Armstrong Custer

    1720 Words  | 4 Pages

    General George Armstrong Custer During the course of this Assessment I will be sceptically and analytically examining the role and background of General George Armstrong Custer during the Indian Conflict at the Battle of Little Bighorn, and during the Civil War. All sources of information or evidence used will be thoroughly examined in order to eliminate as much bias as possible. The essay has been written using subheadings for easier navigation and for clearer understanding of my findings. The main aim of this Investigation is to answer the question, “Was Custer a Hero or a Villain?”

    Read More

  • The Alamo Movie Analysis

    624 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Alamo portrays the historical battle between Santa Anna controlling the Mexican Army and the Texan Defenders who are defending The Alamo, a mission located in San Antonio, Texas. The film is heavily concentrated on the year 1836, specifically the months February and March, and the year 1835. The film stars Dennis Quaid as Sam Houston, Billy Bob Thornton as David Crockett, Jason Patric as Jim Bowie, and Patrick Wilson as William Travis. The Alamo is a historically accurate movie that involves history, war, and immense amounts of drama.

    Read More

  • Conquering the Texas Frontier

    736 Words  | 2 Pages

    When looking at the vast lands of Texas after the Civil War, many different people came to the lands in search for new opportunities and new wealth. Many were lured by the large area that Texas occupied for they wanted to become ranchers and cattle herders, of which there was great need for due to the large population of cows and horses. In this essay there are three different people with three different goals in the adventures on the frontier lands of Texas in its earliest days. Here we have a woman's story as she travels from Austin to Fort Davis as we see the first impressions of West Texas. Secondly, there is a very young African American who is trying his hand at being a horse rancher, which he learned from his father. Lastly we have a Mexican cowboy who tries to fight his way at being a ranch hand of a large ranching outfit.

    Read More

  • Davy Crockett

    1049 Words  | 3 Pages

    Davy Crockett stands for the Spirit of the American Frontier. As a young man he was a crafty Indian fighter and hunter. When he was forty-nine years old, he died a hero's death at the Alamo, helping Texas win independence from Mexico. For many years he was nationally known as a political representative of the frontier.

    Read More

  • Sam Houston

    1056 Words  | 3 Pages

    Written by Randolph B. Campbell and edited by Mark C. Carnes, Sam Houston and the American Southwest tells the story of the life of Sam Houston. Sam Houston, born in 1793 in Tennessee, was a soldier, lawyer, and also one of the founding fathers of the state of Texas. This biography of Sam Houston goes on to describe the life of Sam Houston in topics such as presidential elections he ran in, wars he has fought, friends and rivals of Houston, his personal life, marriages, wins, defeats, and changes he brought upon the United States of America. Sam Houston was liked by the majority of people, he looked up to Andrew Jackson who was his general when Sam Houston joined the army in his 20’s. This book goes into depth to portray to the reader of the type of person Sam Houston was including his strengths, weaknesses, and the fact that he was an alcoholic and despite all that, he was a very intelligent and noble man of U.S. history as we now know.

    Read More

  • The Waco Incident

    4653 Words  | 10 Pages

    My name is Jim, just Jim it’s easier this way, and I was one of the nine survivors in the Waco compound standoff. Before I go into what I think went wrong to our religious sanctuary, let me tell you how I met David and a little about our great deciple.

    Read More

  • Texas Declaration Of Independence

    1474 Words  | 3 Pages

    William Barrett Travis, the leader of the Texan defenders requested for help and his requests were ultimately not met much to his frustration. The spirits of the defenders as well as Travis however still kept strong through their commitment to their cause as well as their faith in God. In the end however, Santa Anna’s forces ended up taking over the fort and as a result of their unwavering belief for their independence all the men that fought within the battle were all killed. And so, after March 6th, 1836 the Battle of the Alamo came to a close. As of now, the Alamo serves as a tourist spot and a reminder of the Texan struggle for independence that, as per Sam Houston’s wishes, will be

    Read More

  • Sam Houston

    2167 Words  | 5 Pages

    Sam Houston Sam Houston was, as legend reports, a big man about six feet and six inches tall. He was an exciting historical figure and war hero who was involved with much of the early development of our country and Texas. He was a soldier, lawyer, politician, businessman, and family man, whose name will be synonymous with nation heroes who played a vital part in the shaping of a young and prosperous country. He admired and supported the Native Americans who took him in and adopted him into their culture to help bridge the gap between the government and a noble forgotten race. Sam Houston succeeded in many roles he donned as a man, but the one most remembered is the one of a true American hero.

    Read More

  • Annexation Of Texas

    1058 Words  | 3 Pages

    With Santa Anna moving to control Mexico, and taxes increasing, Texans grew restless and rowdy. A Texan, William B. Travis, and a small group of Texans attacked a squad of Mexican troops in Anahuac with the motive that “taxes should not thus be collected from them to support a standing army in their own country” (SOS 1) and soon drove them back. Travis retreated to San Felipe and was assisted by Bexar. Skirmishes and the threat of war with Mexico soon followed. Come 1835, the idea of independence was extremely popular within the territory of Texas.

    Read More

  • The Mexican War

    2001 Words  | 5 Pages

    Beginning in 1845 and ending in 1850 a series of events took place that would come to be known as the Mexican war and the Texas Revolution. This paper will give an overview on not only the events that occurred (battles, treaties, negotiations, ect.) But also the politics and reasoning behind it all. This was a war that involved America and Mexico fighting over Texas. That was the base for the entire ordeal. This series of events contained some of the most dramatic war strategy that has ever been implemented.

    Read More

More about The Alamo: A Symbol of Texan Independence

Open Document