The Alamo became a rallying cry for the Independence cause. The men that stayed knew that they would die. Their defense of the Alamo gave Sam Houston and other Texans vital time to get away. When the fate of the Alamo was learned about, it encouraged some people in the U.S. to join the fight. Combine the Alamo with the Goliad Massacre and the Texans were wanting revenge for the killing of their friends and family members.