Sam Houston

impact our nation was born on March 2, 1793. Samuel (Sam) Houston was born to Samuel Sr. and Elizabeth Houston in Rockbridge County, Virginia. At the age of 14, after his father’s death in 1807, Sam moved to Blount County, Tennessee with his family. As a rebellious youngster, he left home when his older brother tried to make him work at the family store as a shop keeper when he was 16 years old. During this time, Sam lived with the Cherokees who he started to recognize as his family. The Indians gave him the name of “Colonneh,” meaning “the Raven.” This began Sam’s life-long sympathy for the Indians. On March 24, 1813, Houston joined the U.S. Army and fought in the War of 1812. During the battle of Horseshoe Bend, Sam fought heroically and was nearly killed after getting shot three times. Henceforward, Houston’s commander, General…

Sam Houston (1793-1863) was an American politician. In addition to that, Houston played a great political role as a senator in the state that we now know as Texas. He born on March 2, 1793, near Lexington, Virginia. Houston went to school and developed a normal life as the other children of his age. However, all this changed when he turned thirteen years old. Houston's father died and his family had to move to another state. “He emigrated with his mother, five brothers, and three sisters to…

In Sam Houston and the American Southwest, Randolph B. Campbell argues that Sam Houston was a great leader but with a subpar personal life for most of it. The four major moments one should pay attention to when discussing Houston’s time of leadership, are his time governing Tennessee, leading an army during the war for Texas independence, his time running Texas and lastly, his time as a member of the Senate for the state of Texas. Houston made decisions based on what he feels is the best for…

Andrea Barrios Hist 1301.1m1 5/31/2016 Sam Houston and the American Southwest In Sam Houston and the American Southwest, written by Randolph B. Campbell and edited by Mark C. Canes, the main focus is on Sam Houston’s many accomplishments and failures. The purpose Randolph Campbell has is to inform general and scholarly readers on who Sam Houston was as a warrior, politician, and leader. Sam Houston was a governor of two states, President of the Republic of Texas, and for thirteen years a…

As per my The history of the American West is often overshadowed by the romantic mythology surrounding the era. It would be hard to ignore the influence of Sam Houston on many aspects of American history from Tennessee to Washington and of course, his adopted home of Texas. Campbell seems to fall into the trap of many biographers and veer off the course of serious historian, presenting us instead with an easy to read novel presenting his hero as larger than life. The life of Sam Houston does…

While Sam Houston is one of the most widely known individuals throughout history, many do not know his bitter rivalries in the creation of the Republic of Texas. Houston was born on March 2nd, 1863 in Rockbridge County Virginia. As a product of his era, Houston embraced Westward expansion and moved to Tennessee. While the true intentions for Houston’s arrival in Texas are unknown, it is evident he quickly rose within the hierarchy of Texas politics as he was elected to President at two separate…

In Sam Houston and the American Southwest, the author, Randolph B. Campbell, argues that many of the political decisions that Sam Houston made throughout his life had been influenced by Houston’s practical approach to problems and issues and his level-headed nature. Houston developed this mindset through the years that he had lived with the Cherokee nation, and he exercised these ideas in such a way to further himself as a leader in the political world and to gain respect among his peers. At the…

For many Texans kid, including James E. Crisp, Sam Houston might become their childhood idol. The victory that Sam Houston bring for Texas at the Battle of San Jacinto secured the Texas’ independence from Mexico. James E. Crisp, on his book Sleuthing the Alamo is investigating Sam Houston’s speech that he made to the soldiers at the small South Texas settlement called Refugio. Crisp was not investigating Sam Houston’s speech suddenly. Instead, Crisp found out that the content of his speech is…

“Houston was courageous, sensible, and practical. He was right far more than he was wrong, and he never hesitated to oppose mass opinion so long as there was a chance of converting it to his own way of thinking” (Campbell xii). These are the words Randolph Campbell uses in the preface to set the tone for the way he is going to discuss Sam Houston for the rest of the book. Campbell’s opinion and view of Houston is highly romanticized and idealistic. Although he does admit that Houston does have…

“Remember the Alamo, Remember the Alamo!” This is the cry repeated in remembrance as Sam Houston’s army of 800 men swept through Houston Texas to take revenge for the lives sacrificed in the devastating defeat of Alamo. This sound was the emblem of respect throughout the States, but also around the globe for the leadership and sacrifice displayed in this stand of valor. During the Texas revolution in 1836, the Battle of the Alamo took place, as a last standing defense and hope for the…