TEXAS HISTORY- SEMESTER EXAM STUDY GUIDE

THE GEOGRAPHY OF TEXAS

Be familiar with the following terms-

landform-

vegetation-

climate-

culture-

relative location-

absolute location-

escarpment-

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Know the four items that give Texas most of its shape.

Be familiar with the locations and characteristics of the four regions of Texas, such as:

Borders of the four regions of Texas

Landforms in the four regions of Texas

Vegetation in the four regions of Texas

Major cites in the four regions of Texas

NATIVE TEXANS (The Texas Indians)

Be familiar with the following terms-

hunter-gatherers-

artifacts-

archaeologists-

primary source-

secondary source-

pemmican-

atlatl-

tipi-

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Know the names and locations of the twelve Texas Indian tribes.

Know which Indian tribe is credited with giving Texas its name.

Know which two animals the Texas Indians depended on the most for food and shelter.

THE EXPLORERS

Be familiar with the following terms-

Reconquista-

conquistadors-

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Be familiar with Christopher Columbus’ plan, which country funded his plan, and where Columbus’ journey ended up taking him.

Know why Christopher Columbus is important to Texas History even though he never came close to what is now Texas.

Know why the conquistador Hernan Cortes is important to Texas History even though he never set foot in what is now Texas.

Know why Alvarez de Pineda is important to Texas History.

Know why Panfilo de Narvaez is important to Texas History.

Know why Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca is important to Texas History.

Know why Marcos de Niza and Estevanico are important to Texas History.

Know why Francisco Coronado is important to Texas History.

Know the first explorer from France who came to Texas.

SPANISH RULE IN TEXAS – (The Spanish Missions and Mexico’s Independence)

Be familiar with the following terms-

friars-

presidios-

peninsulares-

criollos-

mestizos-

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Know what a mission is and the two main reasons Spain built missions in Texas.

Know what the Louisiana Purchasewas.

Know what the Adams-Onis Treaty was, and the terms of this treaty.

Know the country Mexico received its independence from.

COLONIZATION AND EMPRESARIOS (Americans begin to settle in Texas)

Know what an empresario was.

Be familiar with Moses Austin’s plan for Texas and why he could not go through with his plan.

Be familiar with the location Stephen F. Austin found the “rich land” in Texas for his first colony.

Know the characteristics of the land on Stephen F. Austin’s first colony.

Know how much Stephen F. Austin planned to sell the land for in his first colony.

Know the “catches” (fine print) for people who wanted to buy land in Stephen F. Austin’s first colony.

Know what an acre of land is.

STEPS TOWARD REVOLUTION- (The Texans and Mexico’s government start to not get along)

Know which Mexican official was sent to Texas in 1827 to make recommendations on what could be done to make Texas more similar to Mexico and less similar to the United States.

Know the three recommendations the Mexican official made to make Texas more similar to Mexico.

Be familiar with what Coahuila y Tejas was.

Be familiar with what the Texans asked for in the Convention of 1832.

Be familiar with what the Texans asked for in the Convention of 1833.

Know what happened to Stephen F. Austin on his way back from Mexico City.

ROAD TO THE ALAMO-(The Texas Revolution Begins)

Be familiar with the name, cause, and outcome of the first battle of the Texas Revolution.

Be familiar with the cause and outcome of the Grass Fight.

Be familiar with how the Texans captured the Alamo from Mexico.

Be familiar with the names of the most famous Texas who fought at the Battle of the Alamo.

Be familiar with why the Texans were surprised and trapped in the Alamo.

Know who became the commander of the Texans at the Battle of the Alamo.

Know how many men the Texans and Mexico had at the Battle of the Alamo.

Know when the Battle of the Alamo took place and how long the siege lasted.

Be familiar with Travis’ famous letter to the world.

Be familiar with the outcome of the Battle of the Alamo.

Know why the Battle of the Alamo is very important in Texas History even though the Texans lost badly in this battle.

Be familiar with what the Goliad Massacre was.

Be familiar with what the Runaway Scrape was.

RETREAT TO VICTORY (The Texans win the Texas Revolution)

Know who wrote the Texas Declaration of Independence

Be able to explain in detail the Battle of San Jacinto, including the outcome of this battle.