The Alamo, one of America's most famous landmarks, was actually a mission to convert foreigners into Christians. The Spaniards built it and called it "San Antonio de Valero." It was constructed in the northeast part of Mexico called Texas. The mission began to be called the "Alamo mission" because in Spanish, Alamo means "popular." After about seventy-five years, the mission was abandoned and parts of it crumbled into ruins. In 1821 Mexico won its freedom from Spain and they were now able to vote for leaders as the Americans could. Also, in 1821 an American lawyer named Stephen Austin moved to Texas. Mr. Austin believed that if enough farmers settled the land it could become very prosperous. The settlers agreed to be good citizens and good farmers. They also agreed to build towns and schools and make Texas a safe place to live. The Mexican government liked the idea of the Americans taming the wild, barren land. After all, no one else wanted to even try. In 1824 Mexico adopted a constitution much like the American constitution. This Mexican constitution promised that when Texas got to the point that when there were enough people living there, it would be a separate state with its own capital and government.Later politicians and military leaders began fighting over who should run the government, and the constitution was soon ignored. Leaders, one after the other, came into power. The amount of Americans living in Mexico was rapidly multiplying. Mexico began to worry, especially when America offered to buy Texas from them. The Mexican government passed a law forbidding any more Americans to live in Mexico.Shortly afterwards an extremely powerful military leader named Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna seized leadership of the Mexican government. Santa Anna strongly opposed the Mexican constitution and threw it out. He decided that the people could not and would not elect their leaders any more.Stephen Austin was asked to trav...
