fbpx

KidsKonnect

Battle of the Alamo Facts & Worksheets

In December 1835, a group of volunteers in opposition of the Mexican government occupied the Alamo, a military stronghold near modern-day San Antonio, Texas. Battle of the Alamo was symbolic of their gallant stand against an oppressive regime and their plight suffered prior to gaining independence, which they did soon after.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /Famous Wars /Battle of the Alamo Facts & Worksheets
Premium
Battle of the Alamo Worksheets
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

In December 1835, a group of volunteers in opposition of the Mexican government occupied the Alamo, a military stronghold near modern-day San Antonio, Texas. However, they were eventually defeated by the massive army troops led by Mexican general Santa Anna, who killed approximately 200 defenders in less than two hours during their attack on March 6, 1836 at the Alamo. Although the Texans were overpowered by the Mexican government, the Battle of the Alamo was symbolic of their gallant stand against an oppressive regime and their plight suffered prior to gaining independence, which they did soon after.

See the fact file below for more information on the Battle of the Alamo or alternatively, you can download our 20-page Battle of the Alamo worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

THE HISTORY

  • In 1718, Spanish settlers occupied Mexico and built Mission San Antonio de Valero, in honor of St. Anthony of Padua, on the banks of the San Antonio River.
  • They also established a military stronghold of San Antonio de Béxar. It eventually became a settlement area and was named San Fernando de Béxar (later known as San Antonio).
  • For around 70 years until 1793, this military garrison served as a shelter for Spanish missionaries, together with their native American converts.
  • Until the early 1800s, Spanish military troops served in an abandoned chapel near the former mission. The soldiers later named this chapel El Alamo because it stood in a grove of cottonwood trees; the term El Alamo directly translates to a Spanish word that means cottonwood.
  • The chapel’s name is also in honor of Alamo de Parras, the soldiers’ hometown in Mexico.
  • In the 1820s, when Mexico emerged victorious in their struggle for independence against Spain, they successfully fortified the Alamo.
  • A year later, Stephen Austin arrived in Alamo with approximately 300 families who settled in Texas with Spain’s permission. The population in Texas eventually grew as migrants from the US continued to increase over the following decades. This was why resistance movements took place, and led to armed conflict in the mid-1830s.

THE BATTLE

  • In December 1835, when Texas (or rather Tejas) was at war with Mexico for independence, George Collinsworth and Benjamin Milam led a group of Tejano volunteers and managed to overpower the military stronghold built by Mexicans at the Alamo, thereafter capturing the fort and controlling San Antonio.
  • In February 1836, new leaders took command of Texan forces in San Antonio, namely Colonel James Bowie and Lieutenant Colonel William Travis.
  • However, the defenders at the Alamo were decreasing in number at this time with around 200 individuals, including the famous frontiersman and former Tennessee congressman Davy Crockett.
  • Despite being at a disadvantage, they swore to defend the fort to the last.
  • On February 23, 1836, with the leadership of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, 1,800 to 6,000 Mexican military troops waged a series of sieges at the fort.
  • The Tejanos managed to last for 13 days but were eventually overwhelmed by Mexican forces through a breach in the outer wall of the courtyard that the Mexicans successfully broke on the morning of March 6.
  • Many of the Texans died in this battle. But Santa Anna spared the life of Susanna Dickinson, wife of Captain Almaron Dickinson who was killed in the siege, and Angelina, her infant daughter. The survivors were then sent to Houston’s camp in Gonzales with the threat that if the revolutionary movements continued, they would all die.
  • The Mexican forces also had massive casualties of around 600 to 1,600 soldiers after the battle.

THE LEGACY

  • The Mexican army continued to invade the Alamo from March to May of the same year. However, on April 21 1836, Sam Houston and 800 Texan individuals overpowered Santa Anna’s 1,500 men at San Jacinto (located near modern-day Houston). It was during this battle that the Texans shouted the well-known “Remember the Alamo!” line.
  • This victory was the turning point for Texan independence, which was won soon after.
  • In 1883, the state of Texas bought the Alamo and acquired rights over its properties.
  • In 1905, a women’s organization along with lineage of original Texan residents named The Daughters of the Republic of Texas managed the Alamo. The 4.2-acre site is still visited by 2.5 million people from all around the world.

Battle of the Alamo Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Battle of the Alamo across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Battle of the Alamo worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Battle of the Alamo. In December 1835, a group of volunteers in opposition of the Mexican government occupied the Alamo, a military stronghold near modern-day San Antonio, Texas. However, they were eventually defeated by the massive army troops led by Mexican general Santa Anna, who killed approximately 200 defenders in less than two hours during their attack on March 6, 1836 at the Alamo. Although the Texans were overpowered by the Mexican government, the Battle of the Alamo was symbolic of their gallant stand against an oppressive regime and their plight suffered prior to gaining independence, which they did soon after.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Battle of the Alamo Facts
  • Locating the Alamo
  • Find the Words
  • History: Complete the Information
  • Battle of the Alamo Timeline
  • Notable People
  • Narrating the Battle
  • My Two Cents
  • The Battle’s Legacy
  • Similar Battle
  • In a Nutshell

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Battle of the Alamo Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, April 3, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources