Annexation of Texas

Review: Six Flags Over Texas Annexation December 1845

What is ANNEXATION? To add a state or territory into (as part of) another country or nation. TEXAS annexed DECEMBER 29, 1845.

People FOR Annexation Sam Houston - 1st/3rd TX President Pro-Slavery groups, South Anson Jones - 4th TX President John Tyler - 10th US President James K. Polk - 11th US President Most Texans

Reasons FOR annexation Slavery - Texas and the southern U.S. states wanted/ needed slaves for crops. Debt - Texas owed a lot of money it couldn’t re-pay. If Texas was annexed, the U.S. would pay our debts.

Reasons FOR annexation Public Land- If the U.S. paid Texas’s debts, then Texas had to give the U.S. free land as re-payment.

People AGAINST Annexation Mirabeau B. Lamar - 2nd TX President Anti-Slavery Groups, North Andrew Jackson - 7th US President Henry Clay – Ran against Polk for Pres Mexico

Reasons AGAINST annexation Anti-Slavery - The U.S. didn’t want to upset the balance of free versus slave states. Adding Texas would create more slave states than free states.

Reasons AGAINST annexation War - The U.S. wanted to avoid war with Mexico which they feared would happen if they annexed Texas.

Reasons AGAINST annexation TX Debt/Land - The U.S. didn’t want to pay Texas’s debt without getting something in return. And Texans didn’t want to give up their land for free. What’s in it for us?

Reasons AGAINST annexation Elections- 1844 was an election year and the U.S. wanted to avoid controversy.