Santa Anna’s rise to power in 1835 dramatically changed the political landscape of Mexico. He quickly assumed dictatorial powers and abrogated large parts of the Mexican Constitution, which was quite similar to the United States Constitution at the time.
In addition to the movement for independence in Texas, leaders in other parts of Mexico were deeply concerned about the loss of freedom. Federalist leaders throughout the country attempted to return the government to its constitutional basis but were thwarted by Santa Anna’s control of the country’s military forces. The resentment of Santa Anna’s dictatorship was especially strong in the northern states of Mexico, which saw first hand the dynamic political life in the United States.
In 1840 the Federalist leaders of Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon and Coahuila attempted to break away from the centralist government of Mexico and form a new confederation. The Federalist leaders met in Laredo, Texas and established the capital of the Republic of Rio Grande. The convention declared independence from Mexico and claimed for its territory the areas of Tamaulipas and Coahuila north to the Nueces and Medina rivers respectively, as well as Nuevo Leon, Zacatecas, Durango, Chihuahua, and New Mexico. Officers and a general council were elected. Although the ill fated Republic lasted only 283 days, it was an important part of history. The short lived Republic of Rio Grande reinforced the reality that the Texas fight for Independence began because of the actions of Santa Anna and his disregard for the Mexican Constitution of 1824 - as reflected in the design of the Alamo flag.
