1.
ad interim: temporary
2.
annexation: the act of adding or joining a territory to an existing one
3.
Battle of San Jacinto: This was the final battle of the Texas Revolution. The Texans had had enough, they were ready to fight. They made their way to San Jacinto and took the Mexicans by a surprise attack. The Mexicans were unprepared and confused. The battle lasted about 18 minutes, and the Texans quickly won. Santa Anna escaped and hid, but they quickly found him.
4.
Battle of the Alamo: The siege of the Alamo began Feb. 23; Lasting for 13 days. Santa Anna had decided to lead his army into Texas, but the Texans were unaware of this. James Bowie and his men had come to destroy the Alamo, but they decided to stay and fight. Smith asked William Travis to go and recruit 100 men and bring them to San Antonio. Neill placed William B Travis as commander. About 1,800 troops surrounded the Alamo. The Mexicans quickly killed everyone, and won the Battle of the Alamo.
5.
bombard: to attack often with artillery
6.
cavalry: soldiers who are mounted on horseback
7.
fortify: to make stronger with military defense
8.
garrison: troops stationed at a military post
9.
James Fannin: James Fannin commanded about 300 revolutionaries in Goliad. They were the largest armed group in Texas. Travis sent a letter to Fannin asking for reinforcements. He finally came, but then left. Santa Anna then found them though, and he and his troops were imprisoned and shot at Goliad.
10.
Lorenzo de Zavala: A Mexican opponent of Santa Anna who had fled to Texas for safety.
11.
Massacre at Goliad: Immigrants from the United States had traveled to Texas for adventure, but many of them had not taken the oath as Mexican citizens yet. When Santa Anna heard about this, he ordered all of the captives to be shot. They marched back to Goliad and were later shot.
12.
reconnaissance: a survey made to gather information about an enemy
13.
Sam Houston: In 1827, Houston was elected Governor of Tennessee by a large majority. In Texas, Houston was elected delegate from Nacogdoches to the Convention of 1833 which met at San Felipe. After that, Houston emerged as a prominent player in the affairs of Texas. In 1835 he was appointed general of the military district east of the Trinity. He became a member of the Consultation of 1835, and of the Convention which met at Washington on the Brazos in 1836 to declare independence from Mexico. It was there that Houston was elected commander-in-chief of the armies of Texas.Houston immediately took control of the Texas forces after the fall of the Alamo and Goliad, and conducted the retreat of the army to the site of the Battle of San Jacinto, where on April 21, 1836, his force defeated Santa Anna and secured Texas long sought independence. In the fall of that year, Houston was elected the first President of the Republic of Texas. After serving his term as President, he served in the Congress of the Republic in 1839-40. Then in 1841, Houston was again voted by a large margin to the head of the Texas government.
14.
skirmish: a brief fight among a small number of troops
15.
William B. Travis: William B. Travis was the commander at the Battle of the Alamo. After arriving in Texas in early 1831, Travis obtained land from Stephen F. Austin. Governor Smith had asked him to come and bring more men to help fight, but only 29 men came. He was one of the first to die, but one of the bravest men there.
