How did William Travis contribute to the defense of the Alamo? Select all that apply.
• by recruiting troops from the United States
• by negotiating a surrender with Santa Anna
• by convincing Sam Houston to send help
• by rallying the morale of other defenders
To determine how William Travis contributed to the defense of the Alamo, let's analyze each option:
1. By recruiting troops from the United States: This statement is true. William Travis played a crucial role in recruiting volunteers to join the defenders of the Alamo. He wrote a famous letter, known as the Travis Letter or the Victory or Death Letter, in which he requested assistance and rallied support.
2. By negotiating a surrender with Santa Anna: This statement is false. William Travis did not negotiate a surrender with Santa Anna. Instead, he and the other defenders made the decision to stay and fight to the death.
3. By convincing Sam Houston to send help: This statement is false. While Travis did send out several pleas for reinforcements to Sam Houston and other Texian leaders, he was unsuccessful in convincing them to send immediate assistance.
4. By rallying the morale of other defenders: This statement is true. William Travis was an influential leader during the defense of the Alamo. He helped boost the morale of the defenders through his passionate speeches and determination to resist the Mexican forces.
Based on the analysis, the correct answers are:
- By recruiting troops from the United States.
- By rallying the morale of other defenders.