Contested Empire: Rethinking the Texas Revolution (Volume 46) (Walter Prescott Webb Memorial Lectures, published for the University of Texas at Arlington by Texas A&M University Press)

To a large degree, the story of Texas’ secession from Mexico has been undertaken by scholars of the state. Early twentieth century historians of the revolutionary period, most notably Eugene Barker and William Binkley, characterized the conflict as a clash of two opposing cultures, yet their exclusive focus on the region served to reinforce popular notions of a unique Texas past. Disconnected from a broader historiography, scholars have been left to ponder the most arcane details of the revolutionary narrative—such as the circumstances of David Crockett’s death and whether William Barret Travis really did draw a line in the sand. In Contested Empire: Rethinking the Texas Revolution , five distinguished scholars take a broader, transnational approach to the 1835–36 conflict. The result of the 48th Annual Walter Prescott Webb Memorial Lectures, held at the University of Texas at Arlington in March, 2013, these essays explore the origins and consequences of the events that gave birth to the Texas Republic in ways that extend beyond the borders of the Lone Star State. Contents 6 Preface 8 Introduction 12 One Voluntary Mexicans: Allegiance and the Origins of the Texas Revolution 22 Two “Imitating the Example of Our Forefathers”: The Texas Revolution as Historical Reenactment 54 Three Politics and Profits: Mexican Officials and Land Speculation in Texas, 1824–1835 90 Four The Texan Revolution of 1835–1836 and Early Mexican Nationalism 108 Five “Time’s Noblest Empire Is the Last”: Texas Annexation in the Presumed Course of American Empire 150 About The Contributors 176 Index 180 Voluntary Mexicans: allegiance and the origins of the Texas Revolution / Eric Schlereth "Imitating the example of our forefathers" : the Texas Revolution as historical re-enactment / Sam W. Haynes Politics and profits: Mexican officials and land speculation in Texas, 1824-1835 / Miguel Soto The Texan Revolution of 1835-1836 and early Mexican nationalism / Will Fowler "Time's noblest empire is the last" : Texas annexation in the presumed course of American empire / Amy S. Greenberg.