Chapter 12, Section 1 Notes Title: Sam Houston’s Government Main Idea: After gaining independence, Texans faced the challenge of building a new nation. Key Terms: capitol, annexation, expenditure, revenue, tariff

I. Houston Forms a Government In September 1836, Texans elected Sam Houston as the first president of Texas and Mirabeau B. Lamar as the first vice president of the Republic. They approved the Constitution of 1836 and the proposal that Texas join the United States. The new congress first met at Columbia in Brazoria County, but it was too small.

I. Houston Forms a Government So, the congress later designated the new town of Houston established along Buffalo Bayou by the Allen brothers as the new capital of the Republic of Texas. Due to muddy streets, poor houses, and mosquitoes, the government moved into a large, two-story capitol building where the lawmakers met. Stephen F. Austin was named Secretary of State, but served only a few weeks. He died in December from pneumonia.

II. The United States Delays Annexation Most Texans had emigrated from the U.S., had strong cultural and business ties to the U.S., and wanted U.S. protection. Therefore, they favored annexation, or becoming part of the U.S. Mexico refused to recognize Texas’s independence. The U.S. hesitated to annex Texas because it did not want to hurt relations with Mexico.

II. The United States Delays Annexation D. Also, antislavery groups were against annexation because Texas would join the Union as a slave state.

III. Recognition As a Nation U.S. President Andrew Jackson sent Henry Morfit of Virginia to investigate Texas on a fact-finding mission. Jackson wasn’t ready to recognize Texas as a nation. So Houston sent William H. Wharton and Memucan Hunt to Washington, D.C., to work for both annexation and recognition.

III. Recognition As a Nation In March 1837, the USA was the first nation to recognize Texas as an independent nation. J. Pinckney Henderson later obtained recognition from France, Great Britain, and the Netherlands.

IV. Native American and Texan Conflicts As Anglo-American settlers increased in Central Texas, so did raids by the Comanches, Kiowas, and other Native Americans. Cynthia Ann Parker was one of many young children that were kidnapped during this time. Her son Quanah Parker, later becomes a famous Comanche chief.

IV. Native American and Texan Conflicts C. Houston called on the Texas Rangers to patrol Central Texas and decrease the raids. D. He also worked to improve relations with the Native American groups, urging peace, even though the Senate refused to accept the treaty that was supposed to give the Cherokees title to their land.

V. Texas Debt Soars The Texas government encountered financial problems, as its expenditures (money paid out), were greater that its revenue (money received). To raise money, the Texas congress placed a tariff, or tax, on various goods imported into Texas. By the end of Houston’s first term as president, the public debt (money owed) of Texas had climbed to 2 million.

VI. The Release of Santa Anna Santa Anna was released in November 1836 and he visited the USA before returning to Mexico in 1837. He retired for a few years before returning to power and renouncing all promises made in Texas. Overall, his release had NOT improved Texas-Mexico relations and Mexico still refused to recognize Texas independence. Tomorrow we will discuss how Lamar’s presidency differed greatly from Houston’s.