Transcript The Texas Capital

The Republic of
Texas
1836 - 1845
Chapter 11
Presidents of the Republic
of Texas
Sam Houston
Sam Houston
(1836 - 1838)
(1841 -1844)
• 1st President of the
Republic of Texas
• 3rd President of the
Republic of Texas
Mirabeau B Lamar
(1838 - 1841)
• 2nd President of the
Republic of Texas
• Known as the
“Father of Education in
Texas”
Dr Anson Jones
(1844 - 1846)
• 4th and final President
of the Republic of Texas
• President when Texas
became a state of the
United States
Sam Houston
(1836 - 1838)
•
Problems Houston
faced during his first
term:
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Death of Stephen F
Austin (Dec 27, 1836)
Annexation
Relations with Mexico
Native Americans
Texas Military
Finances
The Texas Capital
Annexation
• Most Texans
favored annexation
to the United States
• Houston worked
hard for annexation
– United States said
NO because of the
issue of slavery
Relations with Mexico
• Mexico refused to recognize
Texas’s Independence
• Houston tried to prevent a
new war by replacing the
commander of the army,
Felix Huston, with Albert
Sidney Johnston
– Huston refused to step down
and challenged Johnston to a
duel where he shot him
• Houston solved the
problem by sending all but
600 soldiers home to
prevent further fighting
Native Americans
• Houston worked to
maintain peace with
Native Americans
• Sent Texas Rangers
to protect settlers on
the frontier
Finances
• Texas was in financial trouble
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Spend less
Raise property taxes
More customs duties
Issue promissory notes
Texas debt rose to $2 million
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• Sam Houston
moved the Texas
Capital from
Columbia (too
small) to a new
town that would be
named Houston
Mirabeau B Lamar
(1838 - 1841)
• Lamar brings a
different approach to
these problems
– Annexation
– Relations with
Mexico
– Native Americans
– Finances
– The Texas Capital
– Education
Annexation
• Lamar was against
annexation
• He wanted Texas to
remain independent
• He dreamed that
one day Texas
would stretch all the
way to the Pacific
Ocean
Relations with Mexico
• Lamar sent the new
Texas Navy to help
Yucatecan rebels fight
Mexico
• Lamar organized the
Santa Fe Expedition
– Army sent to convince New
Mexico that it was part of
Texas
– Expedition ran out of
supplies and surrendered to
Mexican troops
– Prisoners taken to Mexico
– The failure of the Santa Fe
Expedition ended Lamar’s dream
of expanding Texas
Native Americans
• Lamar wanted to kill or drive
all Native Americans out of
Texas
• Battle of the Neches: 100
Cherokees killed including
Chief Bowles for not leaving
their land
• Council House Fight:
Comanche chiefs killed when
they came to peace talks in
San Antonio
• Battle of Plum Creek: 100
Comanches killed in ambush
after a large raid on Anglo
settlements
Finances
• Issued more promissory notes called “red
backs”
• Offered land to families moving to Texas
• Debt rose to almost $7 million
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• Moved the capital to
a new location on
the Colorado River
called Waterloo
• It would later be
renamed Austin in
honor of Stephen F
Austin
Education
• Lamar is best known
for his contributions
to public education
• He sat aside land in
each county for
public schools
Sam Houston
(1841 - 1844)
• Texas would again
try to join the United
States
• Houston would work
to improve relations
with Native
Americans
• Houston would cut
spending and sell
the Texas Navy
New Problems with Mexico
• Mexico invaded Texas
twice during 1842
capturing San Antonio
each time
• Houston sent General
Somervell to protect the
border
– Some troops disobeyed
orders and attacked
Mexico; this was called
the Mier Expedition
– The Texans were
captured and some were
executed in the Drawing
of the Black Beans
The Texas Capital
• Sam Houston wanted to
move the capital back to
Houston
• Angelina Eberly and the
citizens of Austin
wanted the capital to
stay
– In the Archives War
Austin residents shot at
Houston’s men who came
to take the state archives
– The capital stayed in
Austin
Dr Anson Jones
(1844 - 1846)
• Jones followed most of
Houston’s policies
including pushing for
annexation
• While Jones was
president Texas was
annexed by the United
States through a joint
resolution in Congress
– Texas became the 28th
state