SPAIN 1519-1685

1519 -- Sailing from a base in

Jamaica, Alonso Alvarez de Pineda, a Spanish

adventurer, was the first known European to explore

and map the Texas coastline.

1528 -- Cabeza de Vaca

shipwrecked on what is believed today to

be Galveston Island.

FRANCE 1685-1690

1685 -- Robert Cavelier, Sieur de 

LaSalle established Fort St. Louis at Matagorda Bay, and thus formed the basis for France's

claim to Texas.

1689 -- Mexican explorer Alonso de

Leon reached Fort St. Louis, and found it

abandoned. Re-established Spanish presence in Texas.

SPAIN 1690-1821

1716-1789 -- Throughout the

18th century, Spain established Catholic missions in Texas.

1821 -- Mexico gains

independence from Spain after years of

fighting

MEXICO 1821-1836

1823 -- Stephen F. Austin

 received a grant from the Mexican government and began colonization in the region of the Brazos River.

1824 -- The Constitution of 1824 gave Mexico a republican

form of government. It failed, however, to define

the rights of the states within the republic,

including Texas.

6 April 1830--Mexico forbid

further emigration into Texas by settlers

from the United States.

1832--The Battle of Velasco

 resulted in the first casualties in Texas'

relations with Mexico.

1832-1833 -- The Convention of 1832 and

the Convention of 1833 in Texas were triggered.

1835 -- Texans repulsed a

detachment of Mexican cavalry at the 

Battle of Gonzales. The revolution began.

December 1835 -- Mexicans surrendered

San Antonio to the Texans following the 

Siege of Bexar.

 

2 March 1836 -- The 

Texas Declaration of Independence was signed by members

of theConvention of 1836.

6 March 1836 -- Texans under Col. William B. Travis were overwhelmed by the

Mexican army after a two-week siege at the 

Battle of the Alamo in San Antonio.

27 March 1836 -- James Fannin and nearly 400 Texans were executed

by the Mexicans at the Goliad Massacre, under

order of Santa Anna.

21 April 1836 -- Texans under 

Sam Houston routed the Mexican forces of Santa

Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto. Thus, independence was won in one of the most decisive

battles in history.

TEXAS REPUBLIC 1836-1845

November 1839 -- The Texas Congress first

met in Austin.

29 December 1845 -- U. S. President James Polk signed

legislation making Texas the 28th state of the

United States.

UNITED STATES 1845-1861

25 April 1846 -- The Mexican-American War ignited as a result of disputes over claims to Texas boundaries. The

outcome of the war fixed Texas' southern boundary at the Rio Grande River.

12-14 September 1847Battle of Mexico City-

General Winfield Scott and troops arrive in Mexico's

capital city and fight their final battle against a

wearied Mexican army

Jan-Feb 1848 -- Mexican and U.S. agree

upon $15 million for California & New Mexico

and sign the Treaty of Guadalupe

Hidalgo