The Alamo Chapter Summary

In this book, the author Crisp attempts to dig deep into the myths surrounding the Alamo - Davy Crockett’s heroic death and the authenticity of the de la Peña diary. In writing this book, Crisp uncovers hidden truths while engaging in contradictions with other historians. Essentially this book seeks not to debunk the myths of the Alamo, but rather to understand them. In my opinion, what David Crockett and the Alamo means is that Davy Crockett is in a sense a representation of Anglo-American superiority and heroics. The Texas Revolution can be argued as a narrative of Anglos demonizing Mexicans and in some cases Tejanos. First of all, Crisp received hate mail because of the argument that Davy did not die while fighting in battle, but rather after he surrendered, is problematic for most Texans to believe. The public’s need to see Davy Crockett as dying in battle, not as a prisoner is essential in the telling of the heroics and the significance of the battle itself. For instance, on Crip’s book the most controversial parts of the de la Peña diary regarding the surrender of Davy Crockett and 5-6 other men at the end of the battle. De la Peña relates that Crockett and his men were offered protection by an officer in Santa Anna’s army, but Santa Anna ordered their execution anyway. …show more content…
He relies heavily on primary sources and often bypasses the reprints of primary sources to ascertain the true value of the documents and right misprinted wrongs. As part of primary source documentation, he draws on complementary sources such as archaeological records. Otherwise, he draws on secondary literature to follow the chain of Alamo misunderstandings and places himself firmly within the historiography, following in the footsteps of Lack and