Statehood for Texas 1845-1851

Texas: The Twenty-Eighth State Main Idea When Texas accepted the offer to become a state of the United States, the first task was to form the state government. In 1845 delegates from across Texas met to write a state constitution. Later that year, Texans elected their state officers. Why it matters now In its first years as a state, Texas established the framework for its laws and government today.

The State Constitution Delegates to the constitution studied the U.S. Constitution and the constitutions of other states. Some parts of the Constitution of the Republic of Texas were kept. They kept Texas’s homestead laws. They did not allow ministers and priests to serve in the legislature. Legislature: a government body that has the power to make or pass laws.

What are Homestead Laws? Citizens of Texas cannot have their homes taken to pay their debts.

Constitution Provisions Protected homesteads from being taken to pay debts. Did not allow ministers or priests to serve in the legislature Allowed settlers to continue bringing slaves into the state Protected women’s right to own land Outlined 3 branches of government. Created the legislature (House of Representatives and Senate) Set up a state court system Created offices for the governor and the lieutenant governor

The Election of 1845 The first elections of the State of Texas were held on December 15, 1845. James Pinckney Henderson was elected the first governor. (executive) Albert C. Horton was elected the first lieutenant governor. (executive) The legislature selected Thomas J. Rusk and Sam Houston as U.S. senators. (legislative)

The Election of 1845 Governor Henderson served only one term, but it was an important one. He established the state government of Texas. He governed during the war with Mexico that resulted when Texas was admitted to the Union.

There were three branches of government for Texas: Legislative branch – the part of government that makes the laws Executive branch – the part of government that carries out the laws. Judicial branch – the part of government that interprets the laws and applies these laws in the court system.

The United States and Mexico at War Main Idea Soon after Texas became a state, war broke out between Mexico and the United States. Both countries claimed Texas as part of their nation, and the United States wanted control of other territories under Mexican rule. Why it matters now The War with Mexico determined Texas’s present-day southern border.

Mexican and U.S. Policy on Texas Under the Treaties of Velasco Santa Anna had promised to recognize the independence of Texas. The government in Mexico, though, refused to honor that treaty and claimed that Santa Anna had only signed it because he was afraid he was going to be killed.

Mexico considered the Nueces River the boundary between Mexico and Texas http://www.texassportfishing.com/Region_Rivers_Main/nueces_river.htm

Tensions Between Mexico and the United States Mexico still considered Texas a part of their country. They claimed that if Texas was annexed by the United States, they would go to war.

The United States and Mexico were also in conflict over the land between Texas and the Pacific Ocean. Americans were moving west and they wanted control over the land from Texas to California. This idea was known as Manifest Destiny or Westward Expansion. Mexico did not want to give up this land.

“American Progress” by John Gast, 1872

Mexico threatened war when Texas was annexed. To avoid war the U.S. President, James K. Polk tried to negotiate with the Mexican government. Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico to make a deal. Slidell offered to pay Mexico’s debts to U.S. citizens in exchange for all the land between Texas and California. The Mexican government was offended that the United States offered to buy this land.

Tensions Between Mexico and the United States Not all citizens in the United States wanted to annex the land between Texas and California. Slavery was dividing the country and the land in the Southwest would have allowed slavery. People in New England and the Midwest did not like the idea of adding states that would have allowed slavery.

Fighting Breaks Out General Zachary Taylor was ordered by President Polk to station troops along the Nueces border. The Mexican general, Mariano Arista, stationed troops along the Rio Grande. When negotiations between Slidell and the Mexican government failed, Taylor ordered the American troops down to the Rio Grande.

Fighting Breaks Out Major Jacob Brown was stationed at Fort Texas (near modern day Brownsville). Both armies patrolled the area between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande. Both countries claimed this land as their own. On April 24, 1846 more than 60 U.S. troops clashed with Mexican troops. Both armies claimed to have been fired upon.

The War with Mexico The American troops engaged in battle with the Mexican troops at Palo Alto and Resca de la Palma. The Americans claimed victory at each battle and soon President Polk urged Congress to declare war on Mexico. The United States declared war on Mexico on May 13, 1846. http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/mexican-war-maps.htm

The Troops at Buena Vista http://www.dmwv.org/mexwar/images/prints/bvista.jpg

The War with Mexico American troops marched to Fort Chapultepec (outside Mexico City) and were victorious. The Mexican troops fought to the last man. To this day Mexicans celebrate September 15th as los ninos heros in honor of the young heroes of Mexico who sacrificed their lives.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican- American War. It was signed on February 2, 1848. “There shall be firm and universal peace between the United States of America and the Mexican republic, and between their respective countries, territories, cities, towns, and people, without exception of places or persons.”

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Mexico agreed that Texas was now a part of the United States. Mexico surrendered all land between Texas and the Pacific Ocean. This transfer of land was known as the Mexican Cession. The United States paid Mexico $15 million.

A New Western Border Main Idea After the War with Mexico, the Rio Grande was made the southern border of Texas. However, disagreement arose over Texas’s western border. This issue, along with others, was resolved by the Compromise of 1850. Why it matters now The Compromise of 1850 established the present-day western border of Texas.

The Texas-New Mexico Border Dispute The southern border of Texas had been established as the Rio Grande under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. There was still disagreement, though about the western border of Texas. Texans thought their western border should follow the Rio Grande all the way to Santa Fe. Most citizens in New Mexico, however still thought of themselves as Mexican and were still angry over Mirabeau B. Lamar’s attempt to control the area.

Disagreements over Slavery and Territories In 1848 Zachary Taylor (the hero of the Mexican-American War) became the president of the United States. He faced the challenge of slavery in Americas states and territories. America had a balance between states that allowed slavery and those that did not allow slavery.

http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/mex-war/mex-war-map.jpg

Disagreements over Slavery and Territories California wanted to join the Union as a free state (a state that outlawed slavery). If California became a free state, though, it would have meant that there were more free states than slave states (states where slavery was legal). Pro-slavery states did not want California to become a state.

What were President Taylor’s thoughts on slavery? President Taylor had promised the residents of California that they would become a state. He was also concerned about lawlessness in the California because many people were moving there in search of gold.

An abolitionist is a person who wants to end slavery. Abolitionists wanted to limit the size of Texas since it was a slave state. Abolitionists also wanted to outlaw slavery in Washington, D.C. Residents of New Mexico and Utah were asking to be admitted into the Union. President Taylor and the U.S. Congress could not agree on a solution to these problems. www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/ 1898/slaves.html

What did the U.S. Congress think? Congress wanted to settle the issue of slavery in the territories before admitting new states to the Union. Southern members of Congress also wanted a federal law to help pay for finding runaway slaves. This law became known as the Fugitive Slave Law. http://www.swagga.com/gifs/slaves.jpg

Fugitive Slave Law Require American citizens to help police offices in capturing enslaved people who had run away from their owners. Gave harsh punishments to people who helped slaves escape. Gave harsh punishments to runaway slaves. Denied recovered slaves a jury or the right to testify at their trial. Often returned slaves to their owners.

The Compromise of 1850 Zachary Taylor died while in office and was succeeded by his vice president, Millard Fillmore. Henry Clay left congress and was replaced by Senator Stephen Douglas from Illinois.

The Compromise of 1850 In the Compromise of 1850 Congress and President Fillmore agree to: the annexation of California making territories of Utah and New Mexico ending the slave trade (but not slavery) in Washington, D.C. the Fugitive Slave Law in the south