From Governor Greg Abbott:

First by the pen and then by the sword, brave Texans fought for their independence from a tyrannical government in Mexico that denied its citizens basic freedoms.  In the fall of 1835 at Gonzales, Texans of all backgrounds banded together to fight for the cause of liberty and defend what was rightfully theirs. Months later, on March 2, 1836, while delegates gathered at Washington-on-the-Brazos to sign the Texas Declaration of Independence, brave defenders continued fighting for their freedom.  

Many heroic Texans were lost throughout the revolution, most notably all of the defenders of the Alamo and those at Presidio La Bahía in Goliad.  Yet, their sacrifices were not made in vain and would serve as a rallying cry for the Texan forces under General Sam Houston.  He raised an army and soundly defeated Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, declaring victory and securing freedom for the new Republic of Texas.

As those delegates declared nearly 200 years ago, when a government ceases to protect the lives, liberty, and property of the people from whom its power is derived, that government becomes an instrument of oppression which must be abolished.  In rebellion against the actions of the Mexican government, fearless Texans gave rise to a free and sovereign republic.

The vision of freedom set down by our founders in the Texas Declaration of Independence lives on in the indomitable Texas spirit today.  As we continue to build a 21st-century Texas, we must always remember how the sacrifices of past generations helped create a future for the next.