Important battles in Texas History, from the Wars of Independence from Spain and Mexico, to the American Civil War.
Texas is the second largest state in the United States in both size and population. It gained its independence from Mexico in 1836 and achieved formal statehood in 1848, becoming the 28th state of the young nation. Much of the battles in Texas history derive from its efforts to achieve independence, first from the Spaniards, and then from Mexico, and finally as an economic battleground between the North and the South in the American Civil War.
The first important battles in Texas came from her attempts to achieve independence from Spain. From 1716 till 1821, Texas was a territory under the crown of Spain. The Mexican quest for independence began with Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in 1810 after Louisiana was sold to the United States by France in 1803, when the boundary between Texas and Louisiana was contested by both Spain and the United States. Anglo Americans began to push against the established boundaries, and the poor Tejano population grew restless under Spanish rule. Periodic fights broke out between the Spanish loyalists and the Mexicans and Anglo supporters. In 1813, the Mexicans led an insurrection against Spanish troops in San Antonio at the Battle of Medina. This rebellion was unsuccessful and led to the execution of 300 Mexican men. Continued strife and fighting finally led to Mexico’s independence in 1821 during the Mexican War of Independence.
