Transcript The Lone Star Republic 1836 - 1845

The Republic of Texas
1836 - 1845
Sam Houston’s
Government
1836 - 1838
In September 1836, Texans elected
Sam Houston as the first president of
Texas and Mirabeau Lamar as the first
vice-president.
* Houston also named Stephen F.
Austin as secretary of state, but he
served only a few weeks. Austin died of
pneumonia on December 27 at the age
of 43.
* President Houston declared that “the
Father of Texas is no more.
The first pioneer of the
wilderness has departed.”
Annexation
Texans had approved the proposal that
Texas join the United States, and Houston
worked to that end.
* Most Texans had immigrated from the
U.S. and wanted U.S. protection.
* Texas and the U.S. had strong cultural
ties.
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Annexation to the United States did not
come easily.
• Mexico refused to recognize Texas’s
independence. The U.S. government did
not want to annex Texas if it meant
damaging relations with Mexico.
* Another problem was slavery. Many antislavery groups in the U.S. were against
annexation because Texas would join the
Union and tip the balance of power in the
U.S. Senate towards
the slave states.
CAPITAL
* John and Augustus Allen had founded
Houston, on Buffalo Bayou.
* The Allens promised to build a
handsome city if Congress would locate
the capital there.
* In 1836, Congress designated Houston as
the capital for three years.
* The decision on a permanent
site was delayed.
RELATIONSHIP WITH MEXICO
* Santa Anna was released in November,
1836, and returned to Mexico. Some
Texans hoped this would lead to better
relations with Mexico.
* Santa Anna, however, renounced all
promises he had made in the Treaty of
Velasco.
* Mexico still did not recognize the
Republic of Texas.
* Mexico invaded Texas again during
Houston’s second term as president.
More Trouble From Santa Anna
ARMED FORCES
Shortly after the Battle of San Jacinto, many
soldiers and adventurers had arrived too late
to fight. They still wanted action, however,
and some called for an invasion of Mexico.
Houston wanted no part in this. A war would
be costly and could mean an end to the new
republic.
Houston solved the problem by sending
all but 600 soldiers home on leave. He
never recalled them to duty.
FINANCES: TEXAS DEBT SOARS
Like many developing nations, the Republic of Texas
had money problems. Expenditures, or money paid
out, were much greater than revenue, or money
received.
Congress took steps to raise money. It placed a tariff,
or tax, on various goods imported into Texas. It also
imposed property, business, and land title taxes, but
these were difficult to collect.
FINANCES
During Houston’s first term as president,
the national debt soared from $1.25
million to $2 million.
During Houston’s second term, the
debt again soared due to interest on
loans.
Houston did his best to reduce this debt by
reducing spending and cutting the size of the
army and the government.
INDIAN RELATIONS
As more Anglo Americans settled in central Texas,
Native Americans resented the newcomers settling on
their hunting grounds. They began a series of raids
that killed many settlers.
Sam Houston tried to improve relations
with Indian tribes with treaties and
protection of Indian lands.
Houston also promised Cherokees in East Texas
titles to their land in exchange for staying neutral in
the war with Mexico.
Cynthia Ann Parker was captured by Comanche
warriors in 1836. Most of her family was killed.
Eleven year-old Cynthia
was raised as a Comanche,
married a chief, and raised
a family. Her son became
a great warrior and chief.
24 years later, Cynthia
was taken back to her
family, but she never
adjusted to the white world.
She died of a broken heart.
Mirabeau Lamar’s Government
1838 - 1841
The Constitution of 1836 stated
that the president could not serve
consecutive terms; therefore
Houston could not be reelected
when his term ended in 1838.
Texans elected Mirabeau Lamar,
who had served as vice-president
under Houston.
ANNEXATION
Unlike Houston, Lamar opposed
annexation. He had great hopes
for Texas, and believed that one
day Texas would be a powerful,
independent nation that would
extend all the way to the Pacific
Ocean.
EDUCATION
Improving education was one of
President Lamar’s goals. As did
Thomas Jefferson, Lamar believed
that citizens of a republic
must be educated so that
they could make intelligent
decisions.
During Lamar’s term, Congress created
an endowment fund as a source of
income for public education.
Approximately 250,000 acres of land
was reserved to support public
education and two universities. In
1900, oil was discovered on this
property, and its value multiplied.
Because of Lamar’s efforts, he
is sometimes called
“The Father of Texas
Education.”
CAPITAL
It had been agreed that the city of
Houston would serve as capital only until
another site was chosen. In 1839,
Congress approved a site on the
Colorado River by the village of Waterloo.
Streets were laid out, and construction of
a capitol began. The town was named
Austin, in honor of Stephen F. Austin.
Capitol in 1875
Austin in 1875
Capitol
Current Day
RELATIONSHIP WITH MEXICO
Lamar thought that having a strong
military would force Mexico to recognize
the Republic of Texas. He ordered ships
to be bought and used them to harass
Mexican ships in Mexican waters. These
ships also aided rebels in an area of
Mexico fighting for its independence.
If Mexico would recognize the Republic of
Texas, Texas would recall its ships and
harass no more.
The Santa Fe Expedition
Lamar also sent an expedition to
Santa Fe, New Mexico, to control the
region and establish trade there. As
the expedition neared Santa Fe, a
Mexican army detachment forced the
tired members to surrender. Most of
these men died on the 1,000 mile
march to Mexico City or perished in
the Mexican prison.
The expedition was a failure in
many ways because it angered the
Mexicans, resulted in the loss of
many lives, and failed to take
control of Santa Fe.
Armed Forces
During his administration, Lamar
strengthened the navy with the
addition of new ships
and an increase in the
size of its army.
FINANCIAL
Lamar was known for his extravagant
spending. His campaigns against Mexico
and the Native Americans were costly, and
during his administration, the national
debt rose to $7 million.
Lamar spent $2.5 million on
the Indian Wars during
his three years in office.
In addition, Lamar failed in his
attempts to borrow money from
the U.S. and European nations.
Additional paper money, known
as redbacks, was printed, but
quickly shrank in value. By the
end of Lamar’s term, a paper
dollar was worth about 15 cents.
Many Texans were becoming
concerned about the increasing
national debt.
RELATIONS WITH INDIANS
Lamar reversed Sam Houston’s policy toward the
Native Americans. He believed that the
Cherokees had no fair claim to the land they occupied
in East Texas, and ordered their removal in 1839. The
Texas Army attacked and burned Cherokee villages
and farms, killing nearly 100 settlers. Among the dead
was Chief Bowles, Sam Houston’s friend. Houston
had earlier promised his people titles to their land if
they would remain neutral during the Texas
Revolution. The Cherokees were forced from their
land and moved across the Red River.
Lamar’s dealings with the
Comanche Indians was just as bad.
In one incident, Texans tried to take
Comanche negotiators as hostages.
Seven Texans and 35 Comanches
died in the fight. After this, the
Comanches refused to make
treaties with the Texans, and years
of bitter warfare resulted.
Sam Houston
Regains the Presidency
Houston Regains Presidency
In 1841, Sam Houston defeated Lamar’s
chosen successor – David G. Burnet – for
the presidency. He disliked Lamar’s
policies and programs and wanted to undo
the damage he felt had been done to
Texas.
A Policy of Economy
A. Houston eliminated many
government positions and cut the size
of the army.
B. He sold navy ships to Galveston
citizens and accepted them back as
gifts.
A Temporary Peace
A. Houston tried to renew peaceful and
fair dealings with the Native
Americans.
B. Treaties signed with various Native
Americans guaranteed peace for
several years.
Chief Quanah Parker
Mexican Invasion
The Santa Fe Expedition produced a
response from Mexico.
In 1842, the Mexican army twice invaded
Texas. For a brief period, they occupied
the towns of San Antonio, Goliad, and
Refugio. At least 35 Texans were killed
before they drove the Mexican army out
of Texas.
Thirty-five Texas soldiers were buried
on Monument Hill near La Grange.
The Mier Expedition
A. The invasion by Mexico angered Texans.
They demanded that Houston take action
to protect the republic.
B. Houston ordered a militia of 750 soldiers to
patrol the area from San Antonio to
Laredo.
C. There were no signs of Mexican troops, so
General Somervell ordered his soldiers
back to Gonzales.
The Mier Expedition
About 300 of the soldiers balked at the
decision to leave the border. They moved
down the Rio Grande and attacked the
Mexican village of Mier.
The Texans were overpowered
by a much larger force of Mexican
soldiers, and were forced
to surrender.
What does the Mier Expedition
tell you about the Texas Militia?
Many of them were so eager for a battle that
a group of independent-minded members
disobeyed orders and caused their own
capture.
The Drawing of the Black Beans
A. The Mexican Army marched the captives to
Mexico City.
B. Santa Anna had ordered every 10th Texan
in captivity to die. That turned out to be 17
men.
C. A prisoner drawing a black bean would be
executed while those who drew a white
bean would be imprisoned in Mexico City.
Should Texas be annexed to
the United States?
Arguments FOR Annexation
A. Settlers could settle in and farm Texas’s
rich, fertile land.
B. “Manifest Destiny,” was a popular idea.
Most Americans believed that the U.S. was
destined to expand from coast to coast.
C. Many more American settlers had settled in
Texas and had strong ties.
D. Texans wanted protection from Mexico.
Reasons AGAINST Annexation
A. The annexation of Texas might benefit
southern slaveholders.
B. It might cause war with Mexico.
Congress Approves Annexation
The U.S. Senate needed a 2/3 majority vote to
annex Texas. When they could not get that vote,
Congress proposed a joint resolution. Only a
simple majority (51%) of each house in Congress
was needed for the resolution to become law.
On February 28, 1845, Congress passed a joint
resolution to annex Texas. Texas could become a
state as soon as its people approved annexation
and adopted a state constitution.
Texans Approve Annexation
On October 13, 1845, Texas approved
annexation by a vote of 4,254 to 257.
On December 29, President Polk signed the
resolution that made Texas a state.
“The Republic of Texas is no more”
On February 19, 1846, at a ceremony
in front of the Texas capitol, Anson
Jones, the fourth and last president of
the republic, turned over the
government to J. Pinckney Henderson,
the first governor of the state.
Anson Jones
The last president of Texas
J. Pinckney Henderson
The first governor of Texas
President Jones closed his farewell
address by declaring that “the final act in
this great drama is now performed: the
Republic of Texas is no more.”
The Lone Star flag was lowered and the
Stars and Stripes was raised.
Texas officially became the 28th state in
the United States of America.
Texas
“The Lone Star State”