The Alamo

General Antonio López de Santa Anna finally captured the Alamo on March 6, 1836. Tony thought he was putting an end to the battle for Texas independence, but he was wrong. Texas had declared its independence four days earlier. In reality, he was creating one of the most popular tourist destinations in the state.

You’ve probably seen or read some version of the battle. All the defenders of the former mission were killed, though some women and children were spared and allowed to go free. In reality, the backlash from this battle came back on the Mexican army many times over when the Texian (that’s how they spelled it) army defeated the Mexicans at the decisive Battle of San Jacinto, which historians say was over in 18 minutes.

Now, 2.5 million people visit the Alamo each year. The mission is open almost every day, and is within walking distance of the beautiful River Walk. While we’re all most familiar with the historic facade of the Alamo, it’s actually three separate buildings, and the battle took place in all three. Now, the only battle is making sure you get find a good parking space.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agpg2GYWcpc