PBS Video Database: U.S.-Mexican War: Episode 1: Chapter 3

VIDEO PROGRAM

Volume 276: Episode I: Neighbors and Strangers

OBJECTIVE

Students will be able to identify causes for tensions that existed between Mexico and the United States after the Texas revolution.

CLASS QUESTIONS

What issues did the U.S. and Mexico face concerning states' rights in the 1830s? What effect did those issues have on each nation's ability to govern? How would the issues affect each country's ability to fight the U.S.-Mexican War? Why did Mexico open its Texas territory to foreign settlers? What reasons did Texas give for wanting to separate from Mexico? Why did the United States closely watch the Texas rebellion? Why were U.S. volunteers motivated to help Texans fight for independence? Why did the Texas rebellion give Mexico further cause to distrust the United States?

PRIOR TO CLASS VIEWING

Review the CLASSROOM TIPS FOR USING ANY VIDEO CHAPTER . Locate Texas on THE U.S.-MEXICAN WAR MAP. Examine the natural resources of the region and discuss reasons why immigrants were drawn to Texas.

CONNECTIONS TO SEMESTER STUDIES

Track population changes in North America. Discuss Manifest Destiny and the United States' desire for expansion.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Ongoing Project

Divide the class into two groups of journalists - one group reporting for the United States and the other reporting for Mexico. Have each group create a newscast, multimedia presentation or newspaper that reports on events of the Texas revolution from the perspectives of Mexico's government and Texas colonists, including Tejano and American settlers.

Web Search and Analysis

Research historical landmarks associated with Texas' fight for independence from Mexico. Have students report on the types of memorials that commemorate this event.

Lone Star Junction: A Texas and Texas History Resource
http://www.lsjunction.com/

San Jacinto Monument and Museum
http://sanjacinto-museum.org/

The Alamo
http://www.americanwest.com/pages/alamo.htm

Lone Star Link History http://www.lonestarlink.com/history.htm

Analyzing for Understanding

Have students analyze information presented in the video and write a newspaper editorial defending the Mexican or Texan position concerning the Texas Revolution.

Small Group Problem Solving

Students can create a flowchart of events leading to the Texas Revolution. Have students write about an event and show what action was taken and by whom.
Divide students into groups representing the viewpoints of Mexico's government, Tejanos and the Texas colonists. Why did Texas fight for independence and why did Mexico seek to keep the province?

Individual or Pair Activity

Have students choose to be a Mexican or Texan soldier who survived the Battle of San Jacinto. Write a letter home describing events of the battle.

Letting the Numbers Speak

Collect information documenting the number of Mexican and Texan casualties at the Battle of the Alamo. Are the numbers from different sources the same? Why might different sources show different numbers?

NCSS Standards	Mexico	Texas Territory
I, II, III	In 1824, in order to secure the territory against U.S. expansion, Mexico's government established a law that offered cheap land and deferred taxes to foreign settlers who colonized Texas.	By the 1830s, nearly 35,000 immigrants were lured to Texas by the promise of land. Anglo-American settlers far outnumbered Mexicans.
I, V, VI	To qualify for land in Texas, immigrants were required to become Mexican citizens and Catholics.	Texans felt little loyalty to Mexico's Constitution and laws. Few Anglo-American immigrants actually became practicing Catholics.
VI, X	Slavery became illegal in Mexico in 1829.	Texas became exempt from Mexico's anti-slavery law. Slavery was tolerated in that region because many of the Anglo immigrants who colonized Texas brought slaves with them to work the farmlands.
V, VI	Mexico changed from a federalist system to a centralized system of government. Mexico's states stood to lose much of their self-governing autonomy as the seat of government in Mexico City passed laws and rules to control their lives.	Many Texans opposed a centralized government in Mexico in favor of self-rule. Texas rebelled against Mexico in favor of setting up an independent republic.
II, III	Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna temporarily stepped down from nation's presidency to command the Mexican army and crush the Texas revolt.	Sam Houston, the appointed commander-in-chief of the newly formed Texas army, led a revolt against Mexico. David Crockett was among the U.S. volunteers for Texas' army.
II, III	In February 1836, Santa Anna's army attacked the Texas rebels at the Alamo, an abandoned mission in San Antonio. In March, Santa Anna ordered the execution of Texan prisoners at Goliad.	Texas rebels fought a 13-day siege at the Alamo and lost. "Remember the Alamo" and "Remember Goliad" became battle cries used by Texans during the Battle at San Jacinto and when Mexico and the United States went to war 10 years later.
II, III	In April 1836, Santa Anna's troops were defeated at the Battle of San Jacinto. Santa Anna, a prisoner of war, signed two versions, one public and one private, of the Treaties of Velasco. In the private treaty, Santa Anna promised to work to get Mexico to recognize Texas' independence. Until the end of the U.S.-Mexican War, however, Mexico's government continued to view Texas as a rebellious province, and refused to acknowledge it as an independent republic.	Sam Houston was elected president of the Lone Star Republic in 1836.

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