San Jacinto Day

San Jacinto Day is a day of state pride for Texans in the United States on April 21 each year. It commemorates the Battle of San Jacinto between the Texan army and Mexican forces, which took place on April 21, 1836. The battle was a turning point for Texas' independence from Mexico.

San Jacinto Day commemorates the Battle of San Jacinto in what is now Harris County, Texas.

Celebrate San Jacinto Day

The Texan flag, often called the Lone Star Flag, is flown near homes and other buildings across Texas. A re-enactment of the San Jacinto Battle takes place at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site on a Saturday close to April 21. It features costumes, canons and pyrotechnics, and is part of a festival that features family entertainment and highlights aspects of Texan history, culture and nature.

The Aggie Muster, at Texas A&M University in central Texas, is another important event that occurs on April 21 each year. The term "Aggie" refers to the school's students, alumni and sports teams. The muster is a tradition that celebrates friendships and affiliations, while remembering the lives of Aggies who died.

Public Life

San Jacinto used to be, but is no longer, a public holiday for all in Texas. However, it is a partial staffing holiday for state offices. Higher education institutions establish their own holiday schedules, as long as the total number of holidays does not exceed the number of holidays in a state agency.

Many private businesses remain open. Public transit services may be subject to change, so people wishing to use public transport should check with the relevant authorities beforehand.

About San Jacinto Day

Around 1820, the area that is now Texas was part of the newly independent country of Mexico. However, there was a strong push for an independent Republic of Texas so, in 1835, the Texas Declaration of Independence was drafted and a provisional government was formed. This movement was supported by a wave of volunteers from the United States. In 1836, Mexican president Santa Anna travelled to Texas to bring down this uprising. His campaign started successfully and the Mexican forces regained control of a number of areas.

Texan forces fought and won the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, and captured General Santa Anna afterwards. This event led to negotiations for Texas to become fully independent from Mexico. The site of the battle is now known as the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site, which is close to the Houston Ship Channel and the cities of La Porte and Baytown. The site features the San Jacinto Monument, which is 570 feet (or about 174 meters) high and the world's tallest masonry tower.

Did You Know?

The Battle of San Jacinto lasted for only 18 minutes. However, hundreds of Mexicans were killed, injured or captured. Nine Texan soldiers were killed and 26 were wounded.

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