Transcript Problems in the Republic of Texas

Problems in the
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas
Foreign Recognition
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Texas could say it was a country but, it wasn’t until another country
officially accepted Texas
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Relations with Mexico was one of the young Republic’s greatest
challenges in foreign relations. Texas was therefore eager to have
other countries, recognize, or officially accept, its status as an
independent country.
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They also hoped that recognition would lead to foreign trade and
loans, both of which were desperately needed to improve the
Republic’s economy.
Foreign Recognition
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Recognition from the United States
was particularly important.
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Texans hoped it would pave the
way for U.S. annexation of Texas.
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However, the northern and
southern states were at odds over
the issue of slavery.
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Northerners who opposed slavery
were against recognition of the
Republic of Texas because it
supported slavery and opposed
any action to free slaves.
Foreign Recognition
• The United States was
the 1st to officially
recognize Texas in 1837.
• France became the 2nd
• Great Britain recognized
in 1839. It was the 1st
European country.
Texas independence in
November 1840.
 Belgium and the Netherlands recognized Texas soon
after but, Mexico never did.
Santa Fe Expedition
In 1836 Texas’ borders were defined as
the mouth of the Rio Grande to where it
begins.
 This included parts of New Mexico,
including Santa Fe.
 President Lamar decided he was going to
enforce this…even though people in New
Mexico didn’t want to be Texans!!
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Santa Fe Expedition
In 1841 Lamar sent 320 men, and 5
companies of soldiers to Santa Fe to take
control of it.
 They took about $200,000 worth of goods.
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• The group started running
low on water and food.
• American Indians
started attacking.
Santa Fe Expedition
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The groups split up – one stayed with the
wagons, while the other headed toward New
Mexico.
Both got captured by Mexican troops.
They were marched over 1,200 miles to Mexico
City where they were put in jail.
60 Texans died and the expedition cost a large
sum of money.
Archives War
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In 1842 Mexico attacked Texas.
•General Rafael Vasquez with 700 troops
attacked San Antonio, Goliad, Refugio,
and Victoria. He then promptly returned to
Mexico.
 Houston called a special session of Congress to meet
in Houston, arguing that Austin was defenseless against
Mexican attack. He also ordered the secretary of state to
remove the archives back to Houston.
Archives War
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The people of Austin did not want this to happen
because they were afraid that Houston would
replace Austin as the capital.

The citizens of Austin were determined to
prevent the move. They formed a vigilante
"Committee of Safety" and warned the heads of
government in Austin that any attempts to move
the official papers would be met with armed
resistance.
Archives War
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In December 1842, Houston announced that Austin was no longer the capital
and ordered Colonel Thomas I. Smith and Captain Eli Chandler to Austin to
remove the archives. Smith and Chandler and 20 men loaded three wagons
without incident before being spotted by Angelia Eberly. She fired a cannon to
alert the citizens of Austin.
Smith and Chandler fled with their wagons, with the vigilantes in hot pursuit. At
Brushy Creek in Williamson County, just north of Austin, Chandler and Smith
were forced to surrender at gunpoint. The archives were returned to Austin,
where the citizens celebrated with a New Year's Eve party.
Mexico Attacks Again!!
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In 1842 General Adrian Woll attacked San
Antonio with 1,400 troops.
Hundreds of Texas militia and Texas Rangers
headed for San Antonio.
They attacked General Woll at Salado Creek.
The Mexicans retreated to Mexico taking
prisoners with them.
Mier Expedition
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President Houston ordered General Alexander
Somervell to go to the Rio Grande with 750
troops to get back the prisoners captured by
General Woll.
When Somervell go there he realized he did not
have enough troops or supplies and ordered his
troops home.
300 disobeyed and decided to attack Mexico
anyways.
Mier Expedition
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Texas troops under the command of Colonel
William Fisher entered Mier on December 23,
1842.
They demanded supplies from the townspeople.
They townspeople said they would have them
the next day.
The next day no supplies were given then
Texans attacked the town only find 900 Mexican
troops waiting for them.
Mier Expedition
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After a day of fighting 100 Mexican soldiers and
30 Texans were dead or wounded.
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Texans surrendered because they were running
out of supplies.
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The Mexican commander ignored orders to kill
the prisoners and marched them to Mexico City.
Mier Expedition
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200 Texans escaped on the march to Mexico City.
However, wandering through the mountains with no food
or water caused many to either die or be recaptured.
• Santa Anna, who was President of Mexico again,
ordered the prisoners to be shot.
• An aid told him not to shoot everyone because it
would anger the world and bring war to Mexico.
The Black Bean Incident
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Santa Anna ordered every 10th person to be shot.
176 Texan prisoners drew beans from a clay jar to see who would
live and who would die.
A white bean meant you lived, while a black bean meant you died.
The Black Bean Incident
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If you drew the black bean you were blindfolded and shot.
Out of the men who drew the white bean: 18 eventually escaped, at least
20 died in jail, and others were eventually pardoned.
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It wasn’t until September 1844 that the last of the prisoners were
released.
The Black Bean Incident
Be Nice to Texas!!
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Great Britain and France wanted to stop the United
States from expanding, or getting bigger, and because
of this they did not want Texas to be part of the U.S.
In 1845, the governments of Great Britain and France
again intervened to attempt to continue Texan
independence by brokering a permanent peace. Their
negotiations were successful: Mexico would recognize
the independence of Texas on the condition that Texas
remain independent .
Decisions…Decisions…
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President Anson Jones
presented both the United
States’ Joint Resolution to
Annex Texas and the Mexican
treaty terms to the Congress of
the Republic and to the
Annexation Convention, and
through them to the people of
Texas. Texas had a choice to
make…