Transcript Ch. 12 Part 4 Notes

Annexation
Unit 6: Ch. 12, Sect. 4
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Title: Texas Becomes A
State
Main Idea: Efforts for
Texas annexation were
given a boost by the
changing political
atmosphere in the
United States.
Key Terms: manifest
destiny, joint resolution
Key People: Mary
Maverick, James K. Polk,
Henry Clay, Anson Jones
Life in the Republic of Texas
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Mary Maverick, and her
husband Samuel,
established a large ranch
near the San Antonio
area.
She recorded her daily
life in diaries and journals
between the days of the
Republic of Texas and
the Civil War. She worked
hard making sure the
history of Texas was
preserved.
Mary Maverick and Family
Mary Maverick
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“This year our slaves plowed and planted above the
Alamo and were attacked by Indians. In November, a
party of ladies and gentlemen from Houston came to
visit San Antonio—they rode on horseback. They
were, ladies and all, armed with pistols and bowie
knives. I rode with this party around the head of the
San Antonio River. We galloped home, and doubted
not that Indians watched us from the heavy timber of
the river bottom. The gentlemen of the party
numbered six, and were all mounted on fine animals.”
– from Memoirs of Mary A. Maverick, published in
1921
Freedoms and Slavery in the
Republic of Texas
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The establishment of the
Republic of Texas was based
on freedoms most Texans had
when they lived in the United
States. This meant that they
would not live under a
dictatorship (political) and their
civil liberties (civil/religious) like
speech, religion, press, and
assembly would be protected
under a constitution.
Slavery was legalized, and
free slaves had to get an act of
Congress to remain legal in
Texas.
The Texas Question
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Throughout the years of the
Republic, most Texans still
wanted Texas to join the
U.S.A.
By Houston’s second term,
the “Texas Question”
became an important issue
in American politics.
Some Americans were
against annexing Texas
because it would benefit
slave owners and might
cause war with Mexico.
Annexation Treaty of 1844
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By April 1844, the U.S.A. and
Texas signed a treaty that
would make Texas a territory
of the U.S.A. Texas would also
give all its public lands in
exchange for the U.S.A. to pay
all its debts.
Most Texans were surprised
when the U.S. Senate rejected
the treaty by a vote of 35 to 16.
Most senators opposed it
because Texas would enter
the U.S. as a slave state and
give the South an advantage in
the Senate (i.e. South >
North).
Polk Wins the U.S. Election
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In the U.S. presidential
election of 1844, James K.
Polk of the Democratic
Party narrowly defeated
Henry Clay from the Whig
Party.
Polk heavily favored
annexation of Texas.
Polk and most Americans
believed the U.S.A. was
destined to expand from the
Atlantic coast to the Pacific
coast—manifest destiny.
Manifest Destiny
How did Texas become a State?
(3 steps)
1.
First, the U.S. Congress proposed that Texas be
annexed by joint resolution, a resolution passed
by both houses of Congress that has the force of
law and a simple majority of each house (instead
of two-thirds majority vote required by the Senate
to approve a treaty).
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Congress passed this on February 28, 1845.
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The joint resolution provided for immediate
statehood, bypassing the time Texas would be
a territory.
U.S. Capitol Building
Mexico Offers Recognition
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France and Great Britain
preferred Texas stay an
independent nation, rather
than joining the U.S.A.
They tried to convince Mexico
to recognize Texas so the
annexation wouldn’t happen.
In May 1845, Mexico offered to
recognize Texas on 1
condition – Texas must reject
annexation by the USA.
Texas rejected the proposal
and voted to approve
annexation by the U.S.A.
How did Texas become a State?
(3 steps)
Second, Anson Jones, president of Texas in
1844, called a special session of the Texas
Congress to consider and vote for annexation.
2.
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3.
The Texas congress approved annexation on
October 13, 1845.
They also wrote a new state constitution.
Third, on December 29, 1845, U.S. President
Polk signed the resolution that made Texas a
state.
Texas Capitol Building
“The Republic of Texas is No More!”
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On February 19, 1846,
Anson Jones, the last
president of the Republic,
turned the government over
to J. Pinckney Henderson,
the first governor of the
state of Texas.
The Lone Star flag was
lowered, and the Stars and
Stripes flag was raised.
Texas ceremonially became
the 28th state in the United
States of America.
Anson Jones
Texas Becomes a State