Transcript Republic to Statehood PPT

Republic to Statehood
The development of Texas from
Colony, to the 28th state of the
United States of America
The Convention of 1836

Where:
– Washington-on-the-Brazos

Texas Declaration of Independence
– When?
March 2, 1836

Republic of Texas Constitution
– Both documents were based on the U.S. documents
David Burnet – Ad Interim President
 Lorenzo de Zavala – Vice President

The Treaties of Velasco

Public Treaty…
– The withdrawal of Mexican troops south of
the Rio Grande
– No more conflict between Mexico and Texas
– Exchange of Mexican and Texan POWs

Private Treaty…
– Santa Anna was to work for Texas
independence
– Boundary at the Rio Grande
President Sam Houston!

Problems facing Houston…
– Debt: During the course of the Revolution,
Texas borrowed large amounts of money
– Native Americans: Losing land by the
minute, and not happy about it
– Threat of war with Mexico: Independence
not honored
Houston’s Solution…
How does this new nation
solve these huge problems?
 Houston’s rationale was to join
the United States.

– Why would this help?
 U.S. could pay off the debt and provide defense
– Why would the U.S. be interested?
 Manifest Destiny
Houston…the State Capital
Texas needed a grand city for its new
capital…and the city of Houston was born.
 Houston didn’t quite live up to its billing
however, but it still remained the state
capital under Sam Houston.

Houston’s Presidency

Annexation – Houston’s first order of
business was to seek immediate
annexation by the U.S.
The U.S. refused initially.
 Why?

– Texas was going to be a slave state
– U.S. does not want war with Mexico
Time for Plan “B”
Without being able to convince the U.S. to
annex Texas, Houston had to find other
means to settle the issues plaguing Texas.
 Star Money (promissory notes)

Houston and the Army
Many people came to Texas after the
Revolution ended ready to join the Texas
effort against Mexico, just to find out the
war was over.
 With tensions with Mexico still lingering,
these war seekers wanted to reopen the
war with Mexico

The Duel

To prevent Felix Huston from igniting
another war with Mexico, Houston tried to
replace him with Albert Sydney Johnston,
a West Point graduate.
At the time, the Texas Army consisted of
volunteers, and Huston challenged
Johnston to a duel for command of the
army
 Johnston realized he had top except, or
the men would never follow him
 He loses, but gets a better job later in
life…he will come up again in a couple of
weeks.

“Go Home…All of you!”
Since President Houston couldn’t rid
himself of Felix Huston, he sent the army
home, all but about 600. The rest would
be “on call” but never needed.
 In doing this Houston did not have to
worry about provoking another war with
Mexico, and he also was not responsible
for paying the excess soldiers.

Native American Policies
Houston was sympathetic to the plight of the
Native American
 During the Revolution Houston had actually
worked a treaty with the Native Americans,
securing their right to land in East Texas
 After the Revolution, this treaty was not upheld,
and he had to decide between his allegiances
towards the Native Americans, and his
responsibilities as the President of Texas.
 The Texas Rangers were reassembled to uphold
peace on the frontier

Election of 1838
Under the new government, Presidents
could not serve consecutive terms
 Mirabeau Lamar, his vice-president, were
not on the same page, and Houston
recruited people to run against him
 Both men runnig against Lamar died
before the election was final, and Lamar
won easily.

Mirabeau Lamar
The 2nd President of Texas
Texas would be
different under the
Presidency of Lamar
 The vision of Texas
was going to change
drastically
 Texas was to be the
United States of the
West

Lamar’s Plan

Native Americans– Lamar did not see eye to eye with Houston in
terms of peaceful relations with the Native
Americans
– His plan was to relocate the Indian Nations to
Oklahoma and other reservation areas
– Council House Fight: POW Swap goes bad
 7 Texans killed – POW’s killed – Raids continued –
Battle of Plum Creek
Lamar’s Plan

Relations with Mexico:
– Used Texan navy to help rebels against Santa Anna
– Lamar interpreted the Rio Grande border as the entire
river; through Santa Fe, Colorado, and north into
Wyoming
– Santa Fe Expedition: To convince the people of New
Mexico that they were part of Texas
– The people of Santa Fe were not for this proclamation
and the members of the expedition were captured
and sent back to Perote, near Mexico City
Lamar’s new Capital
Lamar capitalizes on the opinions that
Houston is not a place fit to be the capital
of Texas
 Lamar sought a place more centrally
located
 The new capital would be in its present
day location, Austin, named after the
Father of Texas

Lamar’s Plan

Education– One of the grievances stated in the
Declaration was that Mexico did not provide
adequate public education
– Lamar believed that a strong educational
system could create a stronger republic
– He provided land for the future establishment
of both public schools and TWO universities,
Texas A&M, and UT
– Father of Texas Education
Debt Increases

$1 Texan = .12 cents U.S.
– Redbacks – Texan Currency

Debt increases to $7 million dollars
– Why?
 Santa Fe Expedition
 Native American Battles
Lamar’s Plan

Land Policy –
– Texas Constitution stated that every family
would receive land based on the following…
 4,605 acres: existing families
 640 acres: immigrants
 320 acres: 3 months served in the Texas Army
– Used land grants to…
 Attract new settlers
 Pay off debt
 1836-1845 population increases 34,500–100,000+
Sam Houston Again
SAM HOUSTON...again
 1. Houston wins the presidency again in 1841
and again turns his attention to annexation.


However, the vote falls short by 1 in the Senate
and annexation is delayed again

Texas is involved in a struggle with Mexico and
this makes the U.S. nervous as well.
President Anson Jones
1844-1845

Involved in the development of the
Republic of Texas

1841 – Served under Sam Houston as
Secretary of State

Supported annexation
Relations With Mexico

Mexican government offered to recognize
Texas independence if they rejected
annexation.

Mexico will consider war with the United
States.
Annexation to the U.S.

Ratified by the U.S. Congress
December 29, 1845

Annexation ceremonies on the
step of the capitol February
19, 1846

State government turned over
to Governor James Pinckney
Henderson

Becomes the 28th state
the final act in this
great drama is now
performed: the
Republic of Texas
is no more.
Farewell Address
President Anson Jones