1. Chapter 14: Texas History
The Young State
Chapter 14: Texas History

2. A New Constitution
July 1845: Delegates attending the convention of 1845 wrote a new constitution for the state of Texas
Writing a constitution was one of the first orders of business for the Texas government
Provided for a governor
Two year term
Created a legislature
Two houses
House of Representatives (2 years)
Senate (4 years)

3. A New Constitution, Continued…
Created a court system
Supreme court
District and county courts
1850: The constitution was amended, or changed, to provide for the election of all judges
Also protected slavery
Barred all women from voting

5. Texas Legislators at Work
The governor’s term was two years
No Governor could serve more than two terms in a row
J. Pinckney Henderson was elected the first governor of Texas
Francis Cox Henderson became known as the “First Lady of Texas”
Sam Houston and Thomas J. Rusk were the first to be elected to the U.S. Senate
David Kaufman and Timothy Pillsbury were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives

6. Problems with the New State
Serious problems were facing Texas and their new officials
Debt
Native American Raids
Mexico’s lack of recognition

7. Notes: A New State Constitution
The Constitution of 1845
Provided for a Governor
Two-Year Term (J. Pinckney Henderson elected 1st governor)
Provided for a Legislature
Two Houses: House of Representatives (elected for 2 years) and Senate (elected for 4 years)
Provided a Supreme Court
Supreme Court, District Courts, County Courts (all judges elected)
Slavery
Protected slavery in Texas
Women’s Rights
Barred all women from voting

8. Political Parties in Texas
1850’s: Political parties became organized in Texas
Most early leaders in Texas joined the Democratic Party
The Democratic party was very strong in the South
The Whig Party represented mostly business and commercial interests
The Whig Party was the other major political party in the U.S. in the 1830’s-1850’s
Opposed expansion of slavery in Texas
Lacked support in Texas
1854 and 1855: Many Texans joined the American, or Know-Nothing Party.
The American party wanted to keep new immigrants from voting or holding public office
The Democratic Party patterned their own party after the American Party
Nominated candidates at political meetings called conventions

9. African Americans in Texas
None of the major political parties represented African Americans
Free African Americans were not eligible to vote or join political parties
Participated by filing petitions with the legislature
Many others went to court to try and protect the little freedom they had

10. African Americans in Texas, Cont.
1850: Mary Madison, a Galveston nurse, filed a petition to stay in Texas
This petition was one of only a few to be granted
Emeline FWC, a free African American, hired lawyers and went to court in Harris County
She claimed she had been mistakenly sold as a slave
She and her children were freed by the jury and awarded $1 in damages

11. Federal Aid for Reservations
The federal government stationed troops in west Texas to prevent clashes between settlers and Native Americans
As settlers pushed west, clashes increased
The U.S. government made a plan to relocated Native Americans on to reservations
Many refused, while others were not given enough land
1859: the government decided to move Native Americans into Indian Territory, north of the Red River
The Comanche's and Kiowa's still continued to attack settlements after the move

12. Notes: Political Parties in Texas
Democratic P.
Whig Party
American Party
Very strong in the South
Favored annexation
Represented laborers and farmers
Most early leaders of Texas were Democrats
Represented mostly business and commercial interests
Lacked major support in Texas
Opposed annexation
Opposed slavery in new territories
Also known as the “Know-Nothing” Party
Wanted to keep immigrants from holding public office or voting.
First to use conventions to nominate candidates

14. Headed Towards War
The government of Mexico never recognized the Republic of Texas and considered the annexation of Texas by the U.S. to be an insult to Mexico
Many problems erupted between the United States and Mexico
Mexico did not accept the Rio Grande as the border between Mexico and Texas
Mexico did not like the westward expansion of commerce in to Mexican California
The U.S. wanted to acquire the Pacific port of San Francisco to help in trade with China
President James K. Polk was determined to continue expansion

15. Headed Towards War, Cont.
Earlier the United States asked Mexico to pay the victims of Santa Anna and the Texas Revolution
Now, the U.S. was prepared to pay the debts that Texas owned, including $30 million to Mexico
In return, Mexico had to accept the Rio Grande as the new border
They also had to cede, or give, California to the western half of New Mexico to the United States
The U.S. sent John Slidell to Mexico to negotiate the deal

16. Headed Towards War, Cont.
The Mexican government refused to speak with Slidell, resulting in a total break down of diplomatic relations
March 1846: President Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to move his troops across the Nueces River to the Rio Grande

17. War is Declared
May 1846: American and Mexican soldiers clashed just north of the Rio Grande.
May 13, 1846: The United States declared war against Mexico
The Mexican American War was fought at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma.
U.S. President: James Polk
Mexico’s President: Mariano Paredes

18. Texans in the War
Some U.S. citizens questioned the motives for the war
Abolitionists, people who worked to end slavery, though the war was a way to spread slavery
More than 5,000 Texans joined the war and fought for the United States
Edward Burleson, Albert Sidney Johnson, Mirabeau Lamar, J. Pinckney Henderson
Several companies of Texas Rangers served as scouts for the American army

19. United States Victory
The United States military was better equipped and better trained
General Zachary Taylor capture northern Mexico, and followed with Monterrey
Feb. 1847: Taylor defeated the Mexican army at Buena Vista
Troops then captured Mexico City in September 1847
Feb. 2, 1848: representatives of both governments signed a peace treaty at Guadalupe Hidalgo
Mexico gave up all claims to Texas
Accepted the Rio Grande as their border
Mexico surrendered all territory between west Texas and the pacific ocean, known as the Mexican Cession
California, Nevada and Utah
U.S. agreed to pay $15 million to Mexico for the land

20. The New Mexico Boundary Dispute
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the dispute between the United States and Mexico concerning Texas
A new dispute began on whether Santa Fe would become part of Texas, or a new state
In the Pearce Act, as a part of the Compromise of 1850,Texas would give up their claim to the disputed area
As a result, the United States gave Texas $10 million dollars to pay off debts

21. View towards the Mexican-American War
War with Mexico
View towards the Mexican-American War
President Polk
Wanted to acquire San Francisco (then in Mexico controlled California) to expand trade. Offered to buy California, and give Mexico $30 million
Abolitionists
Worried that the war was another way for the United States (slave states) to spread slavery.
5000 Texans
5,000 Texans quickly joined the war efforts.
Served as scouts for the American Army.
Some women worked as nurses and cooks in war
U.S. Congress
Some believed the motives for war were not honest (example: wanted to spread slavery)
Previous “invasion” of 1846 was actually in disputed lands, not the United States.

22. Texas Population Booms
1850: The Texas population was 212,592
In the next 10 years, the population grew to 604,215
The Homestead Act allowed people to obtain land simply by living on the land
Helped increase population in to Texas
Most new arrivals came from the Southern United States
42,000 residents came from Tennessee
Before the Civil War, abandoned homes in the South would be marked with signs reading GTT, which meant Gone to Texas
The population increase led to a need for new counties
26 new counties were created

23. Mexican Texans Mexicans continued to move to Texas as well
Most Mexicans lived in one of three areas
Between the Nueces River and Rio Grande
In the San Antonio-Goliad area
Along the Rio Grande from Del Rio to El Paso

24. Mexican Texans, Cont.
Farming and ranching provided the main occupations for Mexican Americans
Owned ranches
Worked as cowhands, sheepherders and ranch laborers
Mexican Americans living in the towns were business owners
Teamsters (animal drivers)
Domestic servants
Day laborers
Craft workers

25. Politics and Bias Some Mexican Americans were active in political life
Jose Antonio Navarro and Santos Benavides
Many Mexican Americans still faced hostilities and prejudice
Juan Cartina became a protector of the rights of Mexicans and Tejanos
Regarded as an outlaw by the governments of Mexico and Texas but as a hero by many Mexicans and Tejanos

26. Politics and Bias, Cont.
Most negative feelings towards Mexican Americans were a result of the battles of the Alamo and Goliad
Despite the problems, Mexican Americans were able to hold on to their culture
Today that culture is mixed with Anglo American culture in Texas

27. European Immigrants
Thousands of people immigrated to Texas from Europe
In the 1840’s and 1850’s, most immigrants to Texas were from Germany
1860: 43,422 foreign born citizens lived in Texas
Every European country was represented in Texas

28. German Texans
By 1860, one-fifth of all residents of Houston, Galveston and San Antonio were Germans
More than 20,000 Germans lived in Texas
Many migrated to Texas to escape harsh conditions in Germany
The potato famine struck Germany and northwest Europe after devastating Ireland in the mid 1840’s
Political and economic difficulties led Germans to leave Germany for a new start

29. Other European Arrivals
Natives of several other European countries arrived in Texas during the years of early statehood
Ireland, England, France
Polish and Czechs
Many Norwegians also came to Texas
Elisa Waerenskjold was a pioneer and community leader from Norway
Known as the “walking newspaper’
Jewish immigrants were active in Texas during the early days of colonization
Lewis Levy wrote a letter to the Asmonean, a New York newspaper, urging persecuted Jews to come to Texas
New arrivals brought new cultures with music, religion, traditions and skill sets

30. Native Americans
Only a few Native Americans continued to live peacefully in Texas
The Alabama Coushatta's settled along the Trinity River in east Texas
Many continued to live on a reservation set aside for them in 1854
By 1855, more than 300 Alabama-Coushatta's lived on the reservation
The Tiguas and Kickapoos
Tiguas are believed to be the descendents, or offspring, of the Pueblos of New Mexico
The Kickapoos were recognized as a sovereign nation in 1989 and are now officially known as the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas
Have a settlement near Eagle Pass, Texas

31. Immigration In Texas Positive Effects Negative Effects
New counties with local governments were formed
Provided new employment opportunities
Provided land for many who could not previously afford it.
Many Mexican Americans faced hostility and prejudice
Slavery increased

32. Immigrant Groups in Texas
Why, Where, When?
Americans
( )
Legalized slavery and cheap land brought many Americans. GTT-Abandoned American cabins labeled “Gone to Texas”, Formed new counties in Texas, brought new jobs
Mexican Texans
25,000 Mexicans lived in Texas at this time. Lived near the Nueces River, Rio Grande River and South Texas. Farmers and Ranchers, teamsters, laborers and craft-workers.
German Texans
Founded New Braunfels and Fredericksburg, More than 20,000 German immigrants moved to Texas. Immigrants escaped potato famine in Ireland and Germany.
Other Europeans
Immigrants came from Ireland, Poland, Norway, England and France. Came to escape fighting and famine in Europe. Many became artisans, writers and active community members.
Alabama-Coushattas
Texas Legislature purchased 1,280 acres for the Alabama tribe, Coushatta joined reservation through marriage or special permission
Tiguas and Kickapoos
Kickapoo settlement set up near Eagle Pass, Texas (125 acres), Tiguas settled near El Paso, Texas