CHAPTER 11
Main Idea Activities 11.3 (pp. 234-239)
The Siege of the Alamo
QUESTIONS: ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS USING CHAPTER
11.3 IN YOUR TEXTBOOK.
1. WHY DID SAM HOUSTON SEND JAMES BOWIE TO SAN ANTONIO?
Houston was alarmed that the Texas army was so ill-prepared and
disorganized and wanted to evaluate whether San Antonio should be
abandoned or defended
2. AFTER DISAGREEING WITH SAM HOUSTON ON ABANDONING
THE ALAMO, WHAT WERE THREE REASONS GOVERNOR SMITH
GAVE TO DEFEND IT INSTEAD?
 Its defenses had been improved several years earlier to provide
protection against Native American attacks
 Texans had access to weapons left there by General Cos and the
Mexican army after the Battle of San Antonio in December 1835
 It was strategically located along the Old San Antonio Road, the road
which would most likely be used by the approaching Mexican army
and Santa Anna
3. AS THE TEXANS PREPARED TO DEFEND THE ALAMO AGAINST
MEXICAN ATTACK, WHAT WERE SOME OF ITS WEAKNESSES?
 Too few troops to defend such a large fort, would need about 1000
soldiers to defend the fort effectively
 Some of the walls were nothing more than waist-high embankments
made of sticks and mud
 Limited ammunition
4. AFTER THE FIRST SHOT AT THE ALAMO WAS FIRED, DESCRIBE
THE NEXT EVENTS THAT OCCURRED BETWEEN THE MEXICAN
TROOPS AND THE TEXAS DEFENDERS. (WHAT HAPPENED?)
Texas forces stopped the first wave of Mexican troops; Mexicans
regrouped and overwhelmed the Texans on the second wave; Mexican
troops flowed into the Alamo, captured a cannon, and began firing at the
Texans from the inside; gunshots were exchanged and hand-to-hand
combat took place; eventually all the Texans were killed and Santa Anna
took control of the Alamo
ORGANIZING INFORMATION
Jan. 19, 1936
E
Feb. 3, 1836
F
Feb. 23, 1836
D
Feb. 24, 1836
C
March 1, 1836
A
March 3, 1836
G
March 6, 1836
B
EVALUATING INFORMATION
1. FALSE
2. TRUE
3. TRUE
4. FALSE
5. FALSE
6. TRUE
7. FALSE
8. FALSE
9. TRUE
10. FALSE
11. FALSE
12. TRUE
13. FALSE
14. TRUE
15. FALSE
A WASTE OF TIME  IMPORTANT
200  21
PRESIDIO  MISSION
189  ABOUT 200
18,000  1,800
6,000  600
ONLY  ONE OF SIX
IN ONE CENTRAL LOCATION  SCATTERED
GOV. HENRY SMITH  WILLIAM B. TRAVIS
REVIEWING FACTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
GENERAL JOSE DE URREA
JAMES FANNIN
SAN ANTONIO DE VALERO
DAVY CROCKETT
JAMES BONHAM
6. WILLIAM B. TRAVIS
7. EL DUEGELLO
8. FALL OF THE ALAMO
9. OLD SAN ANTONIO ROAD
10.
REMEMBER THE ALAMO