The Making of The Alamo
The Alamo was originally named Mission San Antonio de Valero, which for football fans there is a bowl called the Valero Alamo Bowl and you will know why. The Alamo was a home to missionaries and Indian converts for almost 70 years. The construction started at the same site as it is today in 1724. In 1793 Spanish official secularized San Antonio’s five missions and distributed their lands to the remaining Indian residents. These men and women continued to work on the fields that are now theirs.
Starting The Battle
On February 23, 1836, the arrival of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna’s army outside San Antonio really caught us by surprise, without being rattled, the residents prepared to defend the Alamo together. The defenders held the fort for 13 days against Santa Anna’s army. William B. Travis, the commander and chief of the Alamo sent messengers to plead for help holding the fort down. On the eighth day of attack a group of 32 volunteering men arrived, bringing the number of defenders up to nearly 200. Legend had it that when all additional help seemed vague, Colonel Travis drew a line in the ground and said that all the men who stand and fight shall cross, all but one man crossed. The Alamo was a key defense of Texas, the defenders were ready to give up their lives to protect it and never give in to Santa Anna. Among the defenders were Jim Bowie, known to carry a large knife and be very skilled with it, and Davy Crockett, who was rumored to be the best frontiersman in the entire world.
The Final Assault
The final assault came in the morning of March 6, 1836, as rows and rows of Mexican soldiers emerged from the early morning darkness and head for the walls of the Alamo. Cannons and fire arms exploded into the air from inside the Alamo, the defenders had done their job miraculously but not so far today. As the Mexicans regrouped they started to scale the walls and attacked into the base, while inside the fort the Mexicans turned cannons at the church blasting open the doors. The defenders struggled for a while but soon they became overwhelmed. By sunrise, the battle had ended and Santa Anna entered the Alamo to view his victory.
Afterward
No Texans remained and everyone and thing had been destroyed, even Davy Crockett, rumored to be the best frontiersman in the entire world had become overwhelmed by the sea of the Mexican army. But no one forgot. There is no doubt what the battle of the Alamo has symbolized. People remember the Alamo as a heroic struggle against impossible odds, a place where people died for freedom. For this reason. the Alamo remains sacred ground and the Shrine of Texas Liberty.
Some of the defenders
Lets start with Jim Bowie. Jim Bowie was born in 1796 in Logan County, Kentucky. He spent most of his life in Louisiana working as a land speculator. His fame appeared when he was shot and stabbed in a duel, then killed the sheriff of Rapids Parish with a large knife that he often took while hunting. Jim Bowie died while protecting the Alamo in 1836.
Davy Crockett. Davy Crockett was born on August 17, 1786 in Greene County, Tennessee.
Davy became famous when his own life experiences were transformed into popular plays and theatrical versions. Davy Crockett died alongside Jim Bowie while they protected the Alamo in 1836.
The Alamo was originally named Mission San Antonio de Valero, which for football fans there is a bowl called the Valero Alamo Bowl and you will know why. The Alamo was a home to missionaries and Indian converts for almost 70 years. The construction started at the same site as it is today in 1724. In 1793 Spanish official secularized San Antonio’s five missions and distributed their lands to the remaining Indian residents. These men and women continued to work on the fields that are now theirs.
Starting The Battle
On February 23, 1836, the arrival of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna’s army outside San Antonio really caught us by surprise, without being rattled, the residents prepared to defend the Alamo together. The defenders held the fort for 13 days against Santa Anna’s army. William B. Travis, the commander and chief of the Alamo sent messengers to plead for help holding the fort down. On the eighth day of attack a group of 32 volunteering men arrived, bringing the number of defenders up to nearly 200. Legend had it that when all additional help seemed vague, Colonel Travis drew a line in the ground and said that all the men who stand and fight shall cross, all but one man crossed. The Alamo was a key defense of Texas, the defenders were ready to give up their lives to protect it and never give in to Santa Anna. Among the defenders were Jim Bowie, known to carry a large knife and be very skilled with it, and Davy Crockett, who was rumored to be the best frontiersman in the entire world.
The Final Assault
The final assault came in the morning of March 6, 1836, as rows and rows of Mexican soldiers emerged from the early morning darkness and head for the walls of the Alamo. Cannons and fire arms exploded into the air from inside the Alamo, the defenders had done their job miraculously but not so far today. As the Mexicans regrouped they started to scale the walls and attacked into the base, while inside the fort the Mexicans turned cannons at the church blasting open the doors. The defenders struggled for a while but soon they became overwhelmed. By sunrise, the battle had ended and Santa Anna entered the Alamo to view his victory.
Afterward
No Texans remained and everyone and thing had been destroyed, even Davy Crockett, rumored to be the best frontiersman in the entire world had become overwhelmed by the sea of the Mexican army. But no one forgot. There is no doubt what the battle of the Alamo has symbolized. People remember the Alamo as a heroic struggle against impossible odds, a place where people died for freedom. For this reason. the Alamo remains sacred ground and the Shrine of Texas Liberty.
Some of the defenders
Lets start with Jim Bowie. Jim Bowie was born in 1796 in Logan County, Kentucky. He spent most of his life in Louisiana working as a land speculator. His fame appeared when he was shot and stabbed in a duel, then killed the sheriff of Rapids Parish with a large knife that he often took while hunting. Jim Bowie died while protecting the Alamo in 1836.
Davy Crockett. Davy Crockett was born on August 17, 1786 in Greene County, Tennessee.
Davy became famous when his own life experiences were transformed into popular plays and theatrical versions. Davy Crockett died alongside Jim Bowie while they protected the Alamo in 1836.
"Battle of the Alamo." 2010. 23 Oct. 2012 <http://www.thealamo.org/battle/battle.php>
"James Bowie - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." 2005. 24 Oct. 2012 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bowie>
"Davy Crockett - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." 2003. 24 Oct. 2012 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davy_Crockett>
"James Bowie - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." 2005. 24 Oct. 2012 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bowie>
"Davy Crockett - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." 2003. 24 Oct. 2012 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davy_Crockett>