The Alamo

The development and battle of the Alamo is a historical event worth much remembrance. As new facts and references are continually being learned about what lead to the shaping of our great state of Texas, it is important that the events held be told as accurate and truthful as possible to grow and share with future generations. John Lee Hancock’s take on “The Alamo” I feel, depicts the story of the Alamo well while still holding an entertainment value. One of the few things I would have like to seen included would be the involvement of Jose Antonio Navarro, who according to the PBS video we viewed was seen as a Tejano hero of the Alamo. In the film however the involvement to gain independence from Mexico is still seen through other Tejanos. For instance, Juan Seguin ,who had to deliver a note to General Sam Houston informing the urgent need of more men to protect the Alamo, and who would later help in the Battle of San Jacinto. Another important fact that Hancock includes is how the Tejanos were equally willing and volunteered in the battle against Santa Anna’s army.



For the most part of the movie great depiction of other Alamo heroes were shown along with the Anglo settlers. Davey Crockett played by Billy Bob Thornton was often seen as the comical relief of the movie. Many men looked up to him and he had a sense of order and bringing calmness to the other characters such as Travis and Bowie. One of the most intense scenes with Crockett is after the Battle of the Alamo when Santa Anna and his troops are about to execute Crockett. Just before they kill him he warns them that he is a screamer. He does this to implant the memory of his brutal death in the Mexicans’ minds in reference to when he had a traumatic experience he shared earlier in the movie as he heard the screams of Indians he had helped trap and burn alive. The fact that Hancock includes Crockett’s exeution is also a relative as many people are misdirected in thinking that he was killed during battle. The death of Bowie was also portrayed as heroic as he lay dying with pneumonia and waited for the Mexican army to flee into his room. Sam Houston played by Dennis Quaid, was another Anglo correctly expressed in the film. He had to convince his army to have patience as they waited for the Mexican army to make a mistake in order to gain victory against them in The Battle of San Jacinto which lasted nly eighteen minutes. Lastly Travis is shown to have much bravery as he leaves his family behind in order to fight and defend the Alamo as Lieutenant Colonel.



General Santa Anna of Mexico I believe is extremely accurate in this film.
He is seen as an arrogant man who is only concerned for the praise he will get

for dominating over the Alamo. His egotistical views are what eventually lead him to the fall of his army. Even those within his army do not agree with the decisions he makes, such as taking no prisoners and executing Crockett. Although they over power the small army of 200 hundred men at the Alamo, he eventually is forced to spare his life to Houston in exchange for the land of Texas.

Other point that were made in the film and that I thought were not only correct but added to the experiences of the Alamo were of the “slaves” . African Americans were seen tending to Bowie and Travis quite often. In one scene were in the midst of preparing for the battle two slaves were digging a grave, one begins to tell the other that although they are not specifically called slaves because of the contract signed they essentially are just that. He tells him that when the Mexicans come to say “Yo Negro, Soy desparo” meaning I’m a black spare my life. This is important in knowing that the Mexicans were anti-slavery unike the states at that time.

All together this film was able to capture the feelings and events of the story of the Alamo, while having great entertainment.

Works Cited
Remember the Alamo. DVD. Dir Joseph Tovares. PBS HomeVideo,2004,54 min.
The Alamo. DVD. Dir John Lee Hancock. Touchstone Home Entertainment,2004,137 min.

Mission San Francisco De Espada

Mission San Francisco De Espada was established March 5, 1731 along the San Antonio River. Originally known as San Francisco de Tejas in 1690, it was the first Mission established in Texas and continues to be the oldest living charter. The missions were built by the Native Americans of South Texas as the Spaniards influenced them to adopt their religion, language and culture as a means for a perfect society and improved life.

On our visit to The Mission Espada, I was interested to learn that the earliest foundation to our current society in South Texas was created so close to where i grew up, and am now living. It was amazing to think of the labor and thought that went into the beginning of what would later be essential to live.

One of the most crucial components introduced to the Indians was an Irrigation system better known as the Acequias. This system allowed crops to be watered as the water flows near the Mission Espada and other missions around. The San Antonio River was the source of the acequias and once built they extended over fifteen miles long. Many people living near the Mission still use the Acequias as a source of water today

Along with the technology of the acequias, the Spanish also converted their Catholic religion onto the Indians. A beautiful Church stands in the center of the Mission. It has a three bell tower also known as the espadana, very similar to the name of the mission. Many Indians were Baptized here and attended mass regularly. This was a great transformation for the Indians as they already had their own belief system.

The Spanish missionaries intended on the mission to last only ten years, but it lasted for many more years that that, eventually falling because of the low birth rates that did not hold up to population due to the European diseases the Spaniard had brought. Still it remains a remarkable site, that will continue to live on many more years.