Texas Becomes a State Ch. 12 Section 4

Chapter 12.4 Texas Becomes a State I. The Texas Question A. Annexation an issue during Houston’s second term as president. B. Opponents believed it would benefit Southern slaveholders and spark war with Mexico C. American immigrants increase popularity of annexation and strengthen ties to United States

1. Texas would give its public lands to the United States D. In 1844 Texas and United States signed a treaty to make Texas a United States territory. 1. Texas would give its public lands to the United States 2. United States would pay all Republic of Texas’s debts. 3. U.S. Senate rejected the treaty a. Senate opposed another slave state b. Concerned about Mexico

II. Polk wins Election A. James K. Polk favors annexation B. Henry Clay against it C. Polk’s close victory showed most of the voters favored annexation 1. People moving West favored annexation 2. Most Americans believed in MANIFEST DESTINY

III. Congress and Texas Approve Annexation A. On February 28, 1845, Congress passed joint resolution for annexation B. Texas could keep public lands but should sell some to pay its debts C. Texas could be divided into FIVE states, but only with the approval of both Texas and the United States D. December 29, 1845, Polk signs treaty making Texas a state

IV. Mexico Offers Recognition A. Britain and France opposed annexation B. Mexico convinced to recognize Texas’s independence C. Texans reject the offer

“The Republic of Texas Is No More” A. In a ceremony in front of the capitol, Anson Jones, turned over the government to J. Pinckney Henderson, the first governor of the state B. Texas became the 28th state

The Lone Star State Chapter 14, Section 1

Texas State Constitution 1845 – delegates wrote a new state constitution Very similar to the Louisiana Constitution

Constitution, Details… Three Branch Government: Executive Branch: Governor 2 year term, no consecutive terms, citizen of Texas for 3 years before election, at least 30 years old Legislative Branch: Congress House serves 2 year terms, Senate serves 4 year terms Judicial Branch: Courts Supreme Court, District and county courts created

Constitution, continued Judicial: Originally governor appointed judges of state courts, later amended and judges voted in 1st Governor: J. Pinckney Henderson 1st US Senators: Sam Houston & Thomas Rusk 1st Representatives: David Kaufman & Timothy Pillsbury

Political Parties Organized in the United States by 1850 Democrats, Whigs, American/Know-Nothing, Republican Party

Democratic Party Most Texas leaders joined Strong in South Represented the interests of the working class: farmers and laborers

Whig Party Another major US party Represented business and commercial interests Few Texans supported them Opposed expanding slavery into new territories

American/Know-Nothing Party Tried to keep new immigrants from voting or holding office Demanded immigration be restricted The practice of nominating candidates by conventions originated with this party.

Republican Party Formed when Whigs split over the issue of slavery The new Republican party strongly opposed the extension of slavery. This party had no support in Texas before the Civil War.

Federal Aid for Reservations To stop the conflicts between settlers and Native Americans, the United States government placed many Native Americans on reservations. The system was not successful because Native Americans were not given enough land on which to survive. Some Native Americans refused to move onto the reservations. Section 1-12

Federal Aid for Reservations (cont.) Many settlers opposed the reservation system, believing that raids in North and Central Texas were made by Native Americans who lived on reservations. Section 1-13