Chapter 3 Cultura Texas

 Capital: Austin  Populación: 20 Millónes  Moneda: dólar estadounidense  Economía: productos químicos (chemical products), comestibles (food), equipos de transporte (transportation equipment), productos petroleros (oil products), computadoras (computers), ganado (cattle), frutas (fruits)

OIL  Oil was discovered in 1894 in the small farming community of Corsicana, located south of Dallas, as workers drilled for a town well. Instead of water, the struck oil and the Texas oil boom began. Today, Texas leads the nation in refining crude oil.

Historia  Did you know that over the course of history, Texas has been ruled by six different governments: France, Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States, and the United States of America?  In 1821, when Mexico won independence from Spain, Texas became part of Mexico. The Mexican government allowed U.S. settlers onto the land. In 1836, these settlers outnumbered Mexicans six to one. They declared their independence, which they won that same year, creating an independent nation: the Republic of Texas. In 1845, Texas became the 28 th state of the United States, but in 1861, it seceded from the Union to join the Confederacy in the Civil War. Texas was readmitted into the Union in 1870.

Geography- Texas Places to know: Austin (capital) Dallas San Antonio Houston El Paso El Parque Nacional Big Bend El Valle de Texas Isla Padre Mexico Gulf of Mexico

Geography  El Golfo de Mexico stretches 367 miles along the Texas shores. The coast is home to barrier islands such as Padre Island, as well as several deep-water ports like Houston, Corpus Christi, Texas City and Beaumont.

The Central and Great Plains  These plains are home to some of the largest ranches in the United States. Thanks to Mexican vaqueros (cowboys), cattle and sheep quickly became a part of Texas culture. Today 20% of U.S. wool comes from sheep raised in Texas.

El Valle de Texas (The Valley of Texas)  The state fruit, la toronja roja or the red grapefruit, is cultivated in the Valley of Texas.

El Parque Nacional Big Bend (Big Bend National Park)  This park, located on the border with Mexico, is named Big Bend because the Rio Grande River makes a large curve in the shape of a U.

Major Cities  Dallas  Dallas is the center of International Commerce for the state.  San Antonio  This multicultural city if famous for the Paseo del Rio.  Houston  The Port of Houston has the United States’ largest number of International Trade by sea.

La arquitectura  La Biblioteca Central de San Antonio (The central Library of San Antonio) was designed by famous Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta.

La Comida  Las Quesadillas: Mexican food has influenced a lot of the Tejano food.  Tostaditas con salsa (Chips & Salsa) Is the tentempié oficial (official snack) of Texas.  Chile con carne is the official state dish of Texas. It was first served to ranch hads as a way to save money. It is usually served with a tortilla.  El Barbacoa al estilo tejano: This is the most typical style of food in Texas.

Las Celebraciones  El Rodeo: Texans are famous for their cowboy culture. In rodeos they practice the art of riding a horse and controlling herds of cattle.  El Cinco de Mayo: Is celebrated every year with festivals all over Texas and Mexico. It symbolized the unity of Mexico.

Sabias que…  Tejas or Texas comes from the Caddo indigenous word tashas meaning friend.  Tranquility Park in Houston is named for the location where the astronauts landed on the moon. Houston’s LBJ Space Center oversaw the first moon expedition.  Four U.S. Presidents have come from or lived in Texas: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, George Bush and George W. Bush.