The Texan War of 1835-1836

In 1836, after a short but violent struggle, conspicuously mismanaged on both sides, Texas wrested its independence from Mexico, which had itself secured its independence from Spain only fifteen years earlier. By J. Mackay Hitsman.

The Texans who died to a man at the Alamo during the early hours of March 6th, 1836, have been likened to the Spartans who tried to hold back the Persians at Thermopylae. There are few other similarities, however, between the Persian War of 480-479 BC and the seven months’ struggle that resulted in Texas securing its independence from Mexico; for the latter campaign was waged in a foolhardy manner from start to finish, with first one side and then the other making ludicrous tactical errors.

Inevitably, American expansion south-westward was bound to collide with the nationalism of the Mexicans, proud of the freedom they had won from Spain only in 1821. Although Texas was still unsettled, apart from the decaying missions and little trading communities that had grown up around them, there was no good reason why the Mexican Government should have encouraged settlement by foreigners, many of whom were soon to regard the native Mexicans as the real intruders.


http://www.historytoday.com/j-mackay-hitsman/texan-war-1835-1836

Mexico had great reasons to entice settlers into Texas -- which at the time was this:



... even more massive than it is today, which is still truly massive:



... and full of cattle-grazing plains, timber, land to grow cotton, corn, wheat, etc. -- plus mining for gold, gems, coal ...

What country wouldn't try to develop a huge resource like that?

theres only two things come from Texas boy.........

darknessss wrote:theres only two things come from Texas boy.........

Steers and queers?

and I sure as hell dont see no horns......

I have never understood how queers come from Texas seem rather odd most of America seems more 'queer'.

darknessss wrote:and I sure as hell dont see no horns......

While Texas is celebrated for its cattle industry and vibrant homosexual communities, we're also known for our oil and gas production, as the home of many global corporations, our museums and music, distinctive cuisine such as Tex-Mex and barbecue, and being the second-most populous and one of the most diverse states in the U.S.

But that's OK, I wouldn't expect a Brit to know all that. Let me flash you a good-old American-style peace sign!

Oh, sorry, wrong side out:

veya_victaous wrote:I have never understood how queers come from Texas  seem rather odd most of America seems more 'queer'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_demographics_of_the_United_States#State-by-state_summary

Drove from Houston to El Paso via San Antonia, that was a hellava drive!

texas..the land where men are men....and families very very "close"

Out in the Beg Bend area of Texas they are wizened up as well from the dry heat. Saw women and men I thought were in their 70s who were 40ish.

Texas-Latino gay pride, sponsored by Bud Light

Flippin brilliant!

32nd based on percentages... and only 3.8%
District of Columbia has 10%.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_sexual_orientation#Australia
we're at around 9%
and UK is around 6%

doesn't seem like it is an accurate stereotype  

Maybe it has more to do with acceptance

Well there was a history topic runied by not talking about the actual history of this event.
The left for you, they only see the negative in everything.

If you'll pay closer attention, Bras, I once again disagreed with the premise.

Don't much care about whether the military sides made dumb moves in a nearly 200-year-old war, but I did point out that a country without enough people to properly capitalize on a land rich in resources is perfectly justified in asking immigrants in to help out

Ben_Reilly wrote:If you'll pay closer attention, Bras, I once again disagreed with the premise.

Don't much care about whether the military sides made dumb moves in a nearly 200-year-old war, but I did point out that a country without enough people to properly capitalize on a land rich in resources is perfectly justified in asking immigrants in to help out

I never claimed you did Ben, if by saying left is a general concensus to the rest I excuse you of my meaning and yes you did start on the right track which was then broken down into daft movie sayings sadly

Brasidas wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:If you'll pay closer attention, Bras, I once again disagreed with the premise.

Don't much care about whether the military sides made dumb moves in a nearly 200-year-old war, but I did point out that a country without enough people to properly capitalize on a land rich in resources is perfectly justified in asking immigrants in to help out

I never claimed you did Ben, if by saying left is a general concensus to the rest I excuse you of my meaning and yes you did start on the right track which was then broken down into daft movie sayings sadly

Yep -- the same old anti-Texas stereotypical sayings I've been hearing my whole life. That's why I jumped in and answered Dark's question so quickly, actually -- because that's an old, stupid thing to say that adds nothing to the conversation, so I wanted to get in front of it

I think Texas is actually a lot like the UK in that it's one of those places people seem to think they know about without even having visited. We see that a lot in the U.S., and it's something that puts me at odds with non-Texan Democrats who seem to want to write off the entire state as "this bad place nobody good lives in."

I'm really interested, though, in the reasons behind the Texas Revolution. Not a lot of people know this, but one of the big reasons Texans rebelled against Mexico is that it stopped providing public education, which was a big reason Americans emigrated to Texas. In the Texas Constitution (to this day), there is a guarantee of public education, based on that conflict.

Just to add a bit to the UK being a place that people think they know about without really knowing -- I go back to an article I wrote back in college about some kids who'd gone for a study-abroad semester in the UK. One of the students told me he was shocked to find that British people aren't all wealthy, reserved and serious ... I had to wonder whether he'd ever seen a British comedy

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Brasidas wrote:

I never claimed you did Ben, if by saying left is a general concensus to the rest I excuse you of my meaning and yes you did start on the right track which was then broken down into daft movie sayings sadly

Yep -- the same old anti-Texas stereotypical sayings I've been hearing my whole life. That's why I jumped in and answered Dark's question so quickly, actually -- because that's an old, stupid thing to say that adds nothing to the conversation, so I wanted to get in front of it

I think Texas is actually a lot like the UK in that it's one of those places people seem to think they know about without even having visited. We see that a lot in the U.S., and it's something that puts me at odds with non-Texan Democrats who seem to want to write off the entire state as "this bad place nobody good lives in."

I'm really interested, though, in the reasons behind the Texas Revolution. Not a lot of people know this, but one of the big reasons Texans rebelled against Mexico is that it stopped providing public education, which was a big reason Americans emigrated to Texas. In the Texas Constitution (to this day), there is a guarantee of public education, based on that conflict.

Fair points Ben and why this should have been about providing the reasons why this ended up with war. I think this is a point rich in history and also with a romance to certain figures like David Crockett, Jim Bowie, William Travis etc that hey have been immortalized through this one battle, just as Leonidas was at Thermopylae.
I think this is a good opportunity to put things to right about your home state.

It's an interesting topic for exploration, and it should be noted that the Texans ("Texicans" as they called themselves) weren't without blame. At the same time, Mexico's constitutional government had been essentially usurped by a right-wing military dictator, Santa Anna, and Texas was not the only Mexican state to rebel by far -- rebellion against Santa Anna's regime was also seen in 10 other Mexican states, and Yucatan also formed its own independent government. Texas was the only state to actually defeat Santa Anna's forces, though.

"You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas" -- David Crockett

Ben_Reilly wrote:It's an interesting topic for exploration, and it should be noted that the Texans ("Texicans" as they called themselves) weren't without blame. At the same time, Mexico's constitutional government had been essentially usurped by a right-wing military dictator, Santa Anna, and Texas was not the only Mexican state to rebel by far -- rebellion against Santa Anna's regime was also seen in 10 other Mexican states, and Yucatan also formed its own independent government. Texas was the only state to actually defeat Santa Anna's forces, though.

"You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas" -- David Crockett

I have some knowledge of this area Ben, so would be interested as to your thoughts here and further history of the State after this event leading to the Civil war itself?