Best grandpa Christmas present yet
Miss Emmy
- 1718—Mission San Antonio de Valero is established by Franciscan priests from Spain along San Pedro Creek, then moved in 1719 to a location south of the Alamo’s present location.
- 1724—Spanish officials move the mission to its present site following destruction by a storm. Construction of the Long Barrack begins, with completion in 1744.
- 1744—Construction begins for the mission’s church.
- 1756—The church’s walls collapse.
- 1762—Construction work ends at the mission before the roof is complete. The roof arches and bell tower fall.
- 1793—Spanish authorities announce secularization of the five Spanish missions in San Antonio, granting local control of the churches and mission lands.
- 1803-1835—The Alamo is occupied by Mexican troops, including a company of Spanish soldiers from Álamo de Parras, Coahuila, Mexico. The name “Alamo” may come from these soldiers, or perhaps from a grove of cottonwood (“alamo” in Spanish) trees along the bank of the San Antonio River.
- 1836—Texians occupy the mission as a fortress during the Battle of the Alamo.
- 1841—Republic of Texas returns the church to the Catholic Church.
1850—The U.S. government leases the Alamo from the Catholic Church, and the U.S. Army begins repairing the mission, adding a gabled roof and the distinctive curved facade.
- 1883—Texas purchases the property from the Catholic Church.
- 1905—Texas passes legislation turning custody of the Alamo church and buildings to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, who begin restoration.
- 2011—Texas General Land Office is given custody of the Alamo, with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas being responsible for daily operations under a state contract.
The Texas Revolution
- 1824—The Mexican government adopts the Federal Constitution of 1824 and establishes the state of Coahuila y Texas, which the Texians feel do not represent their interests. Catholicism was proclaimed the state religion and slavery was forbidden. Immigrants who had come to Texas from the United States protest, although their efforts were not successful.
- 1830—To prevent further rebellion, Mexico passes a law in 1830 that bans Americans from moving to Texas.
- 1832—The first skirmish between the settlers in Texas and Mexican authority breaks out in Anahuac on the Texas coast.
- 1833—Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna is elected president of Mexico. In 1834, he disbands the Mexican Congress in a move toward dictatorship.
- 1833—Texas petitions Mexico for statehood, asking for separation from Coahuila, with Stephen F. Austin carrying a petition to Mexico City. Austin is arrested and jailed for a year and a half.
- S
eptember, 1835—Mexican General Martín Perfecto de Cós arrives in the port at Copano, 30 miles north of Corpus Christi, with 500 troops on their way to San Antonio.
- October 1, 1835—The Battle of Gonzales takes place with Gonzales residents refusing to give up their cannon to the Mexican army, causing the Mexican troops to retreat. The War of Texas Independence begins.
- October 9, 1835—The Battle of Goliad results in victory for the Texians.
- October 28, 1835—Despite being outnumbered 3 to 1, the Texians defeat General Cós and his men at the Battle of Concepción.
- December 5, 1835—The Siege of Bexar takes place, involving days of fighting between General Cós’s Mexican troops and the Texians, ending with the surrender of Cós on December 9.
- January 7, 1836—Santa Anna’s troops arrive in Saltillo to begin their march to San Antonio to reclaim the city.
The Battle of the Alamo
- January 19, 1836—Colonel James Bowie arrives to investigate the military situation for Texas Governor Henry Smith and General Sam Houston.
- February 2, 1836—Bowie and Lt. Col. James Clinton Neill, commander of the Texian garrison, vow "we will rather die in these ditches than give it up to the enemy." Lieutenant Colonel William B. Travis arrives with 30 men.
- February 8, 1836—Former U.S. Congressman and famous frontiersman David Crockett from Tennessee arrives in San Antonio de Béxar with 12 volunteers.
- February 14, 1836—Travis and Bowie agree to share command at San Antonio de Béxar after Colonel Neill received a temporary leave of absence.
February 23, 1836—Antonio López de Santa Anna and the Centralist forces arrive and the Siege of the Alamo begins.
- February 24, 1836—Travis wrote his famous letter to "the people of Texas and all Americans of the world" requesting reinforcements. In the coming days, there were several more requests by Travis for reinforcements.
- March 5, 1836—Travis reportedly drew a line in the sand and gave every man the choice to cross the line and join him in a fight to the death to defend the Alamo. All but one man crossed.
- March 6, 1836—The Alamo falls. In a matter of hours, all the American defenders were killed and the Mexicans claimed the victory.
