Overview
The Texas Revolution occurred when Anglo- American settlers in Texas declared war on the Mexicans who ruled them at the time and demanded their independence. This set off a chain of events which included battles, skirmishes, atrocities, and retreats. The first major event was the Battle of Gonzalez , also known as the "Lexington of Texas" (a reference to the American Revolution), when Mexican troops requested the return of a cannon given to the citizens of Gonzalez, a small town. The citizens skirmished with the Mexicans and made it clear that a war was brewing. The next major event was the Goliad massacre, when Santa Anna's (the Mexican general) troops executed (massacred) prisoners of war at Goliad after they had been captured. Next came the Alamo, where a few defenders fought a spirited defense against the overwhelmingly larger Mexican army. Unfortunately, almost all the male defenders died. After taking the Alamo, Santa Anna marched East. Citizens started moving too, in fear of Santa Anna. This event was called the Runaway Scrape. Meanwhile Sam Houston had mustered an army, but was waiting for the right moment to attack. Finally, at the Battle of San Jacinto, the Mexican army was defeated by the Texans and several high ranking officials including Santa Anna and Juan Almonte were captured. To end the revolution, the treaties of Velasco were signed, granting peace to both Texas and Mexico.