Wikipedia:Today's featured article/May 25, 2015
The Texas Revolution (1835–36) began when colonists in the Mexican province of Texas rebelled after President Santa Anna overturned the Mexican constitution, dismissing state legislatures and militias and centralizing the government. He stepped down from the presidency to lead Mexican troops in quashing the revolt. Sam Houston was named commander of the Texian Army and sent Jim Bowie to destroy the Alamo to keep it out of Mexican hands. Bowie and William B. Travis chose instead to lead the Alamo defenders in what became the most famous battle of Texas history. Three weeks later, the Mexican army executed 400 Texians at the Goliad massacre, then marched east as terrified civilians fled. The Texian army moved in the same direction, giving the impression that they were running away. Under a false sense of complacency, Santa Anna was asleep and his army was on stand-down on April 21, 1836, when shouts of "Remember the Alamo!" and "Remember Goliad!" pierced the air as Texians overran them, winning the decisive Battle of San Jacinto in 18 minutes (monument pictured). Santa Anna fled on horseback, but was captured the next day and traded for the full retreat of the Mexican army and a cessation of hostilities. Intermittent conflicts continued until 1845, when Texas was willingly annexed into the United States, leading to the Mexican–American War. (Full article...)