Chapter 12 Statehood for Texas

Section 1 “Texas: The 28 th State” On March 1, 1845 the U.S. Congess signed a resolution to annex Texas. It stated that at any time Texas could be divided into as many as five separate states. No other state had this option. Our experience as an independent country set us apart from other states and shaped our attitudes toward government and society. Texas became the 28 th state of the Union on December 29, 1845.

Constitutional Convention of 1845 Delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1845 met on July 4. They elected Thomas Jefferson Rusk as the president of the convention. He greatly influenced the form of the new state government. To draft the constitution, the delegates studied the constitutions of other states and the U.S.

Constitution of 1845 protected homesteads from being taken to pay debts did not allow ministers and priests to serve in the legislature allowed settlers from other states to continue bringing slaves to Texas protected the right of women to own land, a right they had held under Spanish government outlined the three branches of the government: executive, legislative, judicial

Election of 1845 After Texas voters approved the new constitution, Anson Jones called for an election to determine the new state officers The election was held on December 15, 1845 James Pinckney Henderson defeated J.B. Miller, becoming the first governor of the state of Texas Albert C. Horton became lieutenant governor Thomas J. Rusk and Sam Houston became the state’s first two U.S. senators Henderson set up the state government and would serve during the war with Mexico that resulted when Texas was annexed to the U.S.