TEXAS: THE LONE STAR STATE

TREATY OF 1844 Would allow Texas to become a territory of the U.S., but TX would have to give up its public land to the U.S. In return, U.S. would pay off all of Texas’ debt ($12 million) Reasons some Texans opposed Treaty: lose land sale revenue by giving up their public land wanted Texas to enter as a state, not a territory Most Texans favored the treaty, though U.S. senate needed to approve the treaty before it became official- They rejected it because: it would tip the power of slave states in the Senate, giving the slave states a political advantage. they feared Mexico Reasons some U.S. supported Treaty: Territorial expansion- “Manifest Destiny”

WHAT IS MANIFEST DESTINY?

JOINT RESOLUTION Joint Resolution- A statement passed by both houses that has the force of law. President Tyler (U.S.) called for a joint resolution annexing Texas- a resolution requires only a simple majority of votes in each house, whereas a treaty requires the approval of 2/3 of the senate to be ratified. Feb- 28, 1845 Congress passed the joint resolution Texas was admitted to the U.S. as a state rather than a territory, and was allowed to keep its public lands. Mexico was alarmed by this and immediately they would recognize Texas as an independent nation if they agreed not to join the U.S. Texas, by leadership of President Anson Jones and congress, accepted annexation from the U.S. Feb. 19, 1846 Texas officially became the 28 th state of the U.S.

Lesson 2: Early State Government Two major political parties in Texas : Democrats and the Whigs. The Democrats were dominant because they supported annexation and the continuation of slavery. The Whig Party was weaker in Texas. Whigs supported abolition and generally represented businesses instead of farmers or workers. Other party: Know-nothing party. Believed in nativism and keeping away immigrants, esp. Irish, Germans, Chinese and Catholics. Other groups such as women, enslaved African Americans, and free African Americans had few or no rights.

LESSON 2: CONTINUED Texas Constitution of 1845 started giving the STATES more rights to decision making Native American reservations were created north of the Red River to help protect Texans.

Lesson 3: The U.S.-Mexican War Tensions between the United States and Mexico increased. They disagreed over borders, and the United States demanded that Mexico pay reparations to Texas. Mexico believed that the Nueces River was the border between Mexico and the U.S., while the U.S. said it was the Rio Grande

President Polk sent John Slidell on a secret mission to negotiate a land deal with Mexico. Mexican leaders refused to meet with Slidell, which Polk viewed as an insult to the United States. Polk sent General Zachary Taylor across the Nueces River to the Rio Grande. Mexican leaders viewed this as an invasion and attacked General Taylor’s troops. On May 9, 1846, Polk declared war on Mexico. Texas volunteers joined the army, and more than 5,000 Texans fought in the war. Taylor won many battles against Mexico. After the Battle of Chapultepec Castle, Mexican troops abandoned Mexico City, and the American forces took over. The United States was the victor in the war.

THE GUADALUPE HIDALGO PEACE TREATY The Guadalupe Hidalgo Peace Treaty of 1848 redefined the borders between the United States and Mexico. The land area known as the Mexican Cession was surrendered to the United States, and Mexico received $15 million in return for the land. Mexico also had to pay Texans $3.25 million in reparations. The Compromise of 1850 allowed California to be admitted as a free state, and the people of the remaining territory would decide the issue of slavery for themselves.

LESSON 4: IMMIGRANTS ARRIVE In the early years of statehood, Texas grew rapidly as settlers moved west to obtain land. From 1850 to 1860, the population of Texas tripled. Mexicans living in disputed land areas were allowed to become U.S. citizens. Most African Americans in Texas were enslaved. Free African Americans were prohibited from settling in Texas. Many Native American groups also continued to live in Texas. Thousands of Europeans immigrated to Texas to escape danger, hunger, or prejudice in their home countries. Included: Irish, Germans, Poles, Czechs, and Norwegians.

WESTWARD EXPANSION