On This Day

Assault on Mexican-held San Antonio by Texan rebels

Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez (21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876), often known as Santa Anna, was a Mexican general, politician, and caudillo who served as the 8th...

Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez (21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876), often known as Santa Anna, was a Mexican general, politician, and caudillo who served as the 8th president of Mexico on multiple occasions between 1833 and 1855. He also served as vice president of Mexico from 1837 to 1839. He was a controversial and pivotal figure in Mexican politics during the 19th century, to the point that he has been called an "uncrowned monarch", and historians often refer to the three decades after Mexican independence as the "Age of Santa Anna".

Santa was in charge of the garrison at Veracruz at the time Mexico won independence in 1821.

Historical Significance

Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez (21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876), often known as Santa Anna, was a Mexican general, politician, and caudillo who served as the 8th president of Mexico on multiple occasions between 1833 and 1855.

Events Before

  1. German Zollverein (Customs Union) comes into effect

    The Zollverein, or German Customs Union, was a coalition of German states formed to manage tariffs and economic policies within their territories.

  2. Religious leader Brigham Young (32) weds herbalist Mary Ann Angell (27)

    Religious leader Brigham Young (32) weds herbalist Mary Ann Angell (27)

  3. Slavery Abolition Act 1833 comes into effect, abolishing slavery across the British Empire

    Slavery Abolition Act 1833 comes into effect, abolishing slavery across the British Empire

  4. American abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison (28) weds Helen Eliza Benson (22), in Boston, Massachusetts

    American abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison (28) weds Helen Eliza Benson (22), in Boston, Massachusetts

  5. US Congressman and future US President Franklin Pierce (29) weds Jane Appleton (28) at her grandparents' home in Amherst

    US Congressman and future US President Franklin Pierce (29) weds Jane Appleton (28) at her grandparents' home in Amherst, New Hampshire

Events After

  1. Author Harriet Beecher (24) weds educator Calvin Ellis Stowe (33) in Cincinnati, Ohio

    Author Harriet Beecher (24) weds educator Calvin Ellis Stowe (33) in Cincinnati, Ohio

  2. The Alamo is besieged for 13 days until March 6 by the Mexican army under General Santa Anna; the entire garrison is eve

    The Alamo is besieged for 13 days until March 6 by the Mexican army under General Santa Anna; the entire garrison is eventually killed

  3. Battle of the Alamo: After 13 days of fighting, 1,500 to 3,000 Mexican soldiers overwhelm the Texan defenders, killing 1

    Battle of the Alamo: After 13 days of fighting, 1,500 to 3,000 Mexican soldiers overwhelm the Texan defenders, killing 182 to 257 Texans, including William Travis, Jim Bowie, and Davy Crockett

  4. English novelist and social critic Charles Dickens (24) marries Catherine Thomson Hogarth (20)

    Charles John Huffam Dickens (7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and social critic.

  5. Maria II of Portugal marries Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, later known as King Dom Fernando II upon the bir

    Maria II of Portugal marries Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, later known as King Dom Fernando II upon the birth of their son, Pedro V of Portugal

More from the 1830s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on December 5, 1835?
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez (21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876), often known as Santa Anna, was a Mexican general, politician, and caudillo who served as the 8th president of Mexico on multiple occasions between 1833 and 1855. He also served as vice president of Mexico from 1837 to 1839. He was a controversial and pivotal figure in Mexican politics during the 19th century, to the point that he has been called an "uncrowned monarch", and historians often refer to the three decades after Mexican independence as the "Age of Santa Anna".
Why is Assault on Mexican-held San Antonio by Texan rebels significant?
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez (21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876), often known as Santa Anna, was a Mexican general, politician, and caudillo who served as the 8th president of Mexico on multiple occasions between 1833 and 1855.

Explore More