The Texas Revolution Trivia Quiz

Answer: Austin

Stephen F. Austin was in charge of the first settlement of US citizens who legally came to Texas in 1822. The initial intention of the citizens living in Texas was to become a separate state within Mexico, and in 1833, a convention was held that elected Austin to present their demands.

Some of the proposals were accepted, but statehood was rejected. Austin then wrote a letter back to Texas suggesting that they should just unilaterally declare statehood, but it was intercepted by Mexican officials. Austin was arrested and held until July 1835, when he was released and returned to Texas. Once he got back, he became an advocate of outright independence.

Answer: To collect a cannon

After gaining their independence from Spain, Mexico had encouraged the local towns to set up militias to fight Indian raids, and the Gonzales militia had been given a cannon by Mexican officials. When Mexican leader Santa Ana ordered that all militias be disarmed, the army came to take back the cannon.

The cannon was hidden away, and the militia fought off the troops. The bulk of the Mexican troops in Texas moved to San Antonio de Bexar in response.

Answer: Sam Houston

It should be noted that at this point, there was no regular Texas army in existence. Houston was originally from Tennessee where he had served as governor. He was also an adopted member of the Cherokee nation and took a wife there. He would eventually serve as a two time President of the Republic of Texas, a US senator, and a Texas governor, making him the only person to serve as governor of two different states.

He resigned as governor in 1861 rather than take the oath of office to the Confederacy during the Civil War and died in 1863.

Answer: Ben Milam

Austin had initially commanded the army, but left to become a commissioner to the US. His replacement, Edward Burleson, struggled with his inexperienced army's lack of interest in conducting a siege. During a war council, Colonel Ben Milam stood up and said "Who will go with Old Ben Milam into San Antonio?" Most of the army went with Milam, and in a house to house struggle during which Milam was killed, the Mexican army was driven back into the Alamo, where they surrendered on December 11, 1835, with the Mexican commander General Cos (Santa Ana's brother in law) agreeing to leave Texas with his army.

Answer: Matamoros

The port of Matamoros was seen as an excellent location to capture in order to generate revenue to pay for the war. Unfortunately, there were multiple people who wanted to lead the expedition, and the issue dissolved into a dispute with Provisional governor Smith and General Houston on one side wanting to cancel the whole thing, and the Provisional council on the other. Government activity almost came to a standstill, and the different would-be expeditions (all of which failed) took needed men and supplies from San Antonio and Goliad that would directly contribute to future problems at both locations.

Answer: Almeron Dickinson

Susanna Dickinson and their daughter Angelina went into to the Alamo along with her husband, who was an artillery captain. She and the other people not fighting hid in the chapel. Santa Ana offered to adopt their daughter and raise her, but when she turned him down, she was freed along with William T. Travis' slave Joe, and they went to Gonzales, reporting the news from the Alamo to General Houston and his forces.

This led to Houston ordering a retreat of his army and recommending that the civilians do the same thing.

She would later state that the story of Travis drawing a line in the sand and asking the soldiers to commit to fighting by stepping over it before the battle did happen. I would note that if you want to understand why defending the Alamo was so hard, go visit the restored Mission San Jose in the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park.

It is much closer in size to the what the Alamo compound was like in 1836 than now.

Answer: True

The mission at Goliad was captured in 1835 after a skeleton force was left behind while the main Mexican army went to San Antonio. The forces under Colonel Fannin made an abortive attempt to come to the Alamo's rescue, but only made it about a mile out before problems led to the decision to call off the move and go back to Goliad.

They were ordered to fall back by General Houston, but delayed too long and ended up being captured by the Mexican army under General Urrea. Although the Texans surrendered in the belief that they would eventually be freed, Santa Ana had ordered that all prisoners caught in the rebellion be executed, and a week later, on Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836, the prisoners were taken out in columns and killed.

The ones that were injured, including Fannin, were shot in Goliad.

Other than a handful of people who escaped, the only people to live were the doctors treating the Mexican injured.

Answer: Brazos

The town was located NW of modern day Houston, with the river name added to differentiate it from the one in the District of Columbia, and the provisional government met there to approve a declaration of independence on March 2, 1836 and a constitution.

The town was bypassed by the railroads, and apart from an historic site with a replica cabin at the location where the declaration and constitution were approved, it no longer exists.

Answer: having a siesta

After the main Texas army got news of the Alamo and Goliad, they started to retreat east along with much of the population in what became known as the Runaway Scrape. They eventually found themselves across from the Mexican army by the San Jacinto River. Santa Ana, confident that the Texans would not attack, decided to rest his just reinforced army, and didn't post sentries. To cries of "Remember the Alamo" and "Remember Goliad", the Texan army pulled off a perfect surprise attack, and defeated the larger Mexican army in 18 minutes with only 9 dead. Santa Ana was captured the next day, and signed a peace treaty.

Answer: No

While the Republic of Texas did received foreign recognition, most notably from the USA and France, their dispute with Mexico was never officially resolved. A treaty was signed with then leader Santa Ana, but was never ratified by their government. There were a couple of invasions into Texas by Mexico, and one by Texas into modern day New Mexico, but things remained about the same until Texas was annexed by the USA in 1845, leading to the Mexican-American war.