The Battle of the Alamo Finisher Medal
By Tracy Rodriguez
Many people complete races for a purpose, whether it's for a good cause such as breast cancer, or to show their own determination. Regardless, finishing a race is something that everyone deserves recognition for. That is why we created medals for everyone who completes one of our races. We believe it is critical to acknowledge everyone for their hard work and accomplishments after a long journey. Each medal created by Run on History is designed to match one of the races we’ve made available to those who decide to sign up and complete a race with us.
The History of the Alamo and the Medal
To begin, we will discuss our Battle of the Alamo Finisher Medal. If you are unfamiliar with the Battle of the Alamo, it was one of the landmark battles between Mexico and Texas in 1836, when the state decided to declare independence from Mexico. The Alamo was originally known as the San Antonio de Valero Mission. It was built by religious ministers to attract Native Indians and inspire them to convert to Christianity. The mission was later used by Texians, who eventually turned it into a fort and renamed it the “Alamo.” If you look at the medal, you will notice that the fort is proudly displayed at the top of the medal to emphasize the importance of the battle’s location. Only 187 Texians were inside the fort to fight against an army of 5,000 Mexican soldiers. They were outnumbered and killed as a result.
General Antonio López de Santa Anna had an impact on Texas' decision to become independent. He was elected president of both Texas and Mexico in 1833. Nevertheless, Texians did not agree with his views, so they declared independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836. Santa Anna became furious with this and demanded that his troops get the area back. However, the Texians were not about to give up without a fight.
The Texians realized how outnumbered they were when Mexican troops arrived, but they still decided to fight for their independence. James Bowie and Lieutenant Colonel William Travis led the Texians in battle against the Mexican army. At the fort, James Bowie and William Travis led the crew in battle. For a small army, the troops impressively managed to continue the war for 13 days.
The Texian soldiers unfortunately lost the battle. In spite of that, when the citizens heard the news about what had happened to their soldiers at the Alamo, they decided to seek vengeance on General Santa Anna. Sam Houston, the former governor of Texas, led his soldiers to fight against Mexico at the Battle of San Jacinto. During the revolution, Texas soldiers shouted, "Remember the Alamo!”
Looking back at the medal, there are two groups of soldiers at the bottom that look ready for a fight. They represent both the Texians and Mexicans who fought at the Battle of the Alamo. This was added to pinpoint the historical event that occurred at the location. In addition, we specifically decided to add a part of the Alamo Cenotaph monument. Lady Liberty appears as a feminine figure, symbolizing the state of Texas, holding the shields of Texas and the United States. This monument is a remembrance of the fallen soldiers who were brave and fearless enough to fight against the Mexican army, knowing they would lose. They did this for the people of Texas and their desire to liberate themselves from Mexico’s rule.
We included stars on the left and right sides of Lady Liberty to add a touch of detail and a series of symbolic elements. We intended for this medal to contain a piece of the American flag, which expresses vigilance and perseverance, like the people of Texas. Moreover, the American flag colors of red, white, and blue were filled inside the artwork to acknowledge how Texas is now a part of the United States. The text “Battle of the Alamo” and the map of Texas which signify the location of the war, were placed at the very center of the medal as a memory that should never be forgotten.
General Antonio López de Santa Anna had an impact on Texas' decision to become independent. He was elected president of both Texas and Mexico in 1833. Nevertheless, Texians did not agree with his views, so they declared independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836. Santa Anna became furious with this and demanded that his troops get the area back. However, the Texians were not about to give up without a fight.
The Texians realized how outnumbered they were when Mexican troops arrived, but they still decided to fight for their independence. James Bowie and Lieutenant Colonel William Travis led the Texians in battle against the Mexican army. At the fort, James Bowie and William Travis led the crew in battle. For a small army, the troops impressively managed to continue the war for 13 days.
The Texian soldiers unfortunately lost the battle. In spite of that, when the citizens heard the news about what had happened to their soldiers at the Alamo, they decided to seek vengeance on General Santa Anna. Sam Houston, the former governor of Texas, led his soldiers to fight against Mexico at the Battle of San Jacinto. During the revolution, Texas soldiers shouted, "Remember the Alamo!”
Looking back at the medal, there are two groups of soldiers at the bottom that look ready for a fight. They represent both the Texians and Mexicans who fought at the Battle of the Alamo. This was added to pinpoint the historical event that occurred at the location. In addition, we specifically decided to add a part of the Alamo Cenotaph monument. Lady Liberty appears as a feminine figure, symbolizing the state of Texas, holding the shields of Texas and the United States. This monument is a remembrance of the fallen soldiers who were brave and fearless enough to fight against the Mexican army, knowing they would lose. They did this for the people of Texas and their desire to liberate themselves from Mexico’s rule.
We included stars on the left and right sides of Lady Liberty to add a touch of detail and a series of symbolic elements. We intended for this medal to contain a piece of the American flag, which expresses vigilance and perseverance, like the people of Texas. Moreover, the American flag colors of red, white, and blue were filled inside the artwork to acknowledge how Texas is now a part of the United States. The text “Battle of the Alamo” and the map of Texas which signify the location of the war, were placed at the very center of the medal as a memory that should never be forgotten.
We recommend that you take the journey to the Alamo now that you've learned a little bit about this conflict and the significance of the medal we created especially for this race. This medal is given to anyone who completes the Battle of the Alamo race with Run on History. When you click on the Explore Our Journeys tab, you will see the maps that we’ve created for anyone seeking a new adventure. Simply click Join the Race and you will be taken to another tab where you are given the option to participate. All you have to do is go to the race’s starting point, pay to join it, and let the map guide you on a historical trip. Each point on the map provides a brief history of the past, so when you complete the race, not only will you feel accomplished, but you will have learned something new, and you will have a story to tell your loved ones. You can complete it at your own pace, so tag a friend or bring a pet along to enhance the experience.
If you wish to learn more about the past, please visit our articles tab. In the articles tab, there’s plenty of information about history that you can click through to “exercise your mind.”
If you wish to learn more about the past, please visit our articles tab. In the articles tab, there’s plenty of information about history that you can click through to “exercise your mind.”