The Republic of Texas 1836 - 1845

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The Republic of Texas1836 - 1845
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Sam HoustonsGovernment1836 - 1838
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In September 1836, Texans elected Sam Houston as
the first president of Texas and Mirabeau Lamar
as the first vice-president.
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Houston also named Stephen F. Austin as
secretary of state, but he served only a few
weeks. Austin died of pneumonia on December 27 at
the age of 43. President Houston declared
that theFather of Texas is no more. The first
pioneer of thewilderness has departed.
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Annexation to the United States did not come
easily.

• Mexico refused to recognize Texass independence.
  The U.S. government did not want to annex Texas
  if it meant damaging relations with Mexico.
• Another problem was slavery. Many
  anti-slavery groups in the U.S. were against
  annexation because Texas would join the Union and
  tip the balance of power in the U.S. Senate
  towards
• the slave states.

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CAPITAL John and Augustus Allen had
founded Houston, on Buffalo Bayou. The
Allens promised to build a handsome city if
Congress would locate the capital there. In
1836, Congress designated Houston as the
capital for three years. The decision on a
permanent site was delayed.
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RELATIONSHIP WITH MEXICO Santa Anna was
released in November, 1836, and returned to
Mexico. Some Texans hoped this would lead to
better relations with Mexico. Santa Anna,
however, renounced all promises he had made in
the Treaty of Velasco. Mexico still did not
recognize the Republic of Texas. Mexico
invaded Texas again during Houstons second
term as president.
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More Trouble From Santa Anna
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ARMED FORCES

• Shortly after the Battle of San Jacinto, many
  soldiers and adventurers had arrived too late to
  fight. They still wanted action, however, and
  some called for an invasion of Mexico.
• Houston wanted no part in this. A war would
• be costly and could mean an end to the new
  republic.
• Houston solved the problem by sending all but
  600 soldiers home on leave. He never recalled
  them to duty.

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AnnexationTexans had approved the proposal
that Texas join the United States, and
Houstonworked to that end. Most Texans had
immigrated from the U.S. and wanted U.S.
protection. Texas and the U.S. had strong
cultural ties.
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FINANCES TEXAS DEBT SOARS

• Like many developing nations, the Republic of
  Texas had money problems. Expenditures, or money
  paid out, were much greater than revenue, or
  money received.
• Congress took steps to raise money. It placed a
  tariff, or tax, on various goods imported into
  Texas. It also imposed property, business, and
  land title taxes, but these were difficult to
  collect.

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U. S. Recognition of the Republic of Texas

• William H. Wharton and Memucan Hunt were sent to
  the United States to work for Texas recognition
  and annexation.
• Official recognition of Texas granted on March 3,
  1837.

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European Recognition of Texas

• J. Pinckney Henderson was sent to negotiate with
  European powers.
• Three European countries that formally recognized
  the Republic of Texas
• France
• Great Britain
• The Netherlands

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FINANCES

• During Houstons first term as president,
• the national debt soared from 1.25
• million to 2 million.
• During Houstons second term, the
• debt again soared due to interest on
• loans.
• Houston did his best to reduce this debt by
  reducing spending and cutting the size of the
  army and the government.

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INDIAN RELATIONS

• As more Anglo Americans settled in central Texas,
  Native Americans resented the newcomers settling
  on their hunting grounds. They began a series of
  raids that killed many settlers.
• Sam Houston tried to improve relations
• with Indian tribes with treaties and
• protection of Indian lands.
• Houston also promised Cherokees in East Texas
  titles to their land in exchange for staying
  neutral in the war with Mexico.

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Cynthia Ann Parker was captured by Comanche
warriors in 1836. Most of her family was killed.
Eleven year-old Cynthiawas raised as a
Comanche,married a chief, Peta Nocona, and
raiseda family. Her son, Quanah, becamea great
warrior and chief.24 years later, Cynthiawas
taken back to her family, but she neveradjusted
to the white world.She died of a broken heart.
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Mirabeau Lamars Government1838 - 1841
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The Constitution of 1836 stated that the
president could not serve consecutive terms
therefore Houston could not be reelected when his
term ended in 1838.Texans elected Mirabeau
Lamar, who had served as vice-president under
Houston.
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ANNEXATIONUnlike Houston, Lamar opposed
annexation. He had great hopes for Texas, and
believed that one day Texas would be a powerful,
independent nation that would extend all the way
to the Pacific Ocean.
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EDUCATION

• Improving education was one of President Lamars
  goals. As did Thomas Jefferson, Lamar believed
  that citizens of a republic must be
  educated so that they could make
  intelligent decisions.

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During Lamars term, Congress created an
endowment fund as a source of income for public
education. Approximately 250,000 acres of land
(18,000 acres in each county) was reserved to
support public education and two universities. In
1900, oil was discovered on this property, and
its value multiplied.
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Because of Lamars efforts, he is sometimes
calledThe Father of Texas Education.
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CAPITAL

• It had been agreed that the city of Houston would
  serve as capital only until another site was
  chosen. In 1839, Congress approved a site on the
  Colorado River by the village of Waterloo.
• Streets were laid out by Edwin Waller, and
  construction of a capital began. The town was
  named Austin, in honor of Stephen F. Austin.

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Capitol in 1875
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Austin in 1875
Capitol
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RELATIONSHIP WITH MEXICO

• Lamar thought that having a strong military would
  force Mexico to recognize the Republic of Texas.
  He ordered ships to be bought and used them to
  harass Mexican ships in Mexican waters. These
  ships also aided rebels in an area of Mexico
  fighting for its independence.
• If Mexico would recognize the Republic of Texas,
  Texas would recall its ships and harass no more.

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Lamar also sent an expedition to Santa Fe,
New Mexico, to control the region and establish
trade there. As the expedition neared Santa Fe,
a Mexican army detachment forced the tired
members to surrender. Most of these men died on
the 1,000 mile march to Mexico City or perished
in the Mexican prison.

• The Santa Fe Expedition

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The expedition was a failure in many ways because
it angered the Mexicans, resulted in the loss of
many lives, and failed to take control of Santa
Fe.
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Armed Forces

• During his administration, Lamar strengthened the
  navy with the addition of new ships
  and an increase in the size
  of its army.

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FINANCIAL

• Lamar was known for his extravagant spending.
  His campaigns against Mexico and the Native
  Americans were costly, and during his
  administration, the national debt rose to 7
  million.
• Lamar spent 2.5 million on
• the Indian Wars during
• his three years in office.

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In addition, Lamar failed in his attempts to
borrow money from the U.S. and European nations.
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Additional paper money, known as redbacks, was
printed, but quickly shrank in value. By the end
of Lamars term, a paper dollar was worth about
15 cents.Many Texans were becoming concerned
about the increasing national debt.
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RELATIONS WITH INDIANS

• Lamar reversed Sam Houstons policy toward the
  Native Americans. He believed that the
• Cherokees had no fair claim to the land they
  occupied in East Texas, and ordered their removal
  in 1839. The Texas Army attacked and burned
  Cherokee villages and farms, killing nearly 100
  settlers. Among the dead was Chief Bowles, Sam
  Houstons friend. Houston had earlier promised
  his people titles to their land if
• they would remain neutral during the Texas
  Revolution. The Cherokees were forced from their
  land and moved across the Red River.

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Lamars dealings with the Comanche Indians was
just as bad. In one incident, Texans tried to
take Comanche negotiators as hostages.Seven
Texans and 35 Comanches died in the fight. After
this, the Comanches refused to make treaties with
the Texans, and years of bitter warfare resulted.
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Sam HoustonRegains the Presidency
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Houston Regains Presidency

• In 1841, Sam Houston defeated Lamars chosen
  successor David G. Burnet for the presidency.
  He disliked Lamars policies and programs and
  wanted to undo the damage he felt had been done
  to Texas.

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A Policy of Economy

• Houston eliminated many
• government positions and cut the size of the
  army.
• He sold navy ships to Galveston
• citizens and accepted them back as
• gifts.

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A Temporary Peace

• Houston tried to renew peaceful and fair dealings
  with the Native Americans.
• Treaties signed with various Native Americans
  guaranteed peace for several years.
• Chief Quanah Parker

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The Archives War

• In 1842, 500 Mexican soldiers invaded Texas and
  occupied San Antonio. President Houston declared
  a public emergency tried to save the government
  archives by moving them from Austin to Houston.

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The Archives War

• Many Austin residents suspected that Houston
  intended to move the capital back to Houston
  permanently. Some Austin residents, led by
  Angelina Eberly, fired on them. The capital and
  the archives remained in Austin.

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Mexican Invasion

• The Santa Fe Expedition produced a response from
  Mexico.
• In 1842, the Mexican army twice invaded Texas.
  For a brief period, they occupied the towns of
  San Antonio, Goliad, and Refugio. At least 35
  Texans were killed before they drove the Mexican
  army out
• of Texas.

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Thirty-five Texas soldiers were buried on
Monument Hill near La Grange.
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The Mier Expedition

1. The invasion by Mexico angered Texans. They
   demanded that Houston take action to protect the
   republic.
2. Houston ordered a militia of 750 soldiers to
   patrol the area from San Antonio to Laredo.
3. There were no signs of Mexican troops, so General
   Somervell ordered his soldiers back to Gonzales.

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The Mier Expedition

• About 300 of the soldiers balked at the decision
  to leave the border. They moved down the Rio
  Grande and attacked the Mexican village of Mier.
• The Texans were overpowered
• by a much larger force of Mexican soldiers, and
  were forced
• to surrender.

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What does the Mier Expedition tell you about the
Texas Militia?
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• Many of them were so eager for a battle that a
  group of independent-minded members disobeyed
  orders and caused their own capture.

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The Drawing of the Black Beans

• The Mexican Army marched the captives to
• Mexico City.
• Santa Anna had ordered every 10th Texan in
  captivity to die. That turned out to be 17 men.
• A prisoner drawing a black bean would be executed
  while those who drew a white bean would be
  imprisoned in Mexico City.

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The Texas ? Question ?

• Should Texas be annexed to the United States?

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Arguments FOR Annexation

• A. Settlers could settle in and farm Texass
• rich, fertile land.
• Manifest Destiny, was a popular idea. Most
  Americans believed that the U.S. was
• destined to expand from coast to coast.
• C. Many more American settlers had settled in
  Texas and had strong ties.
• D. Texans wanted protection from Mexico.

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Reasons AGAINST Annexation

• A. The annexation of Texas might benefit
• southern slaveholders.
• It might cause war with Mexico.

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Congress Approves Annexation

• The U.S. Senate needed a 2/3 majority vote to
  annex Texas. When they could not get that vote,
  Congress proposed a joint resolution. Only a
  simple majority (51) of each house in Congress
  was needed for the resolution to become law.
• On February 28, 1845, Congress passed a joint
  resolution to annex Texas. Texas could become a
  state as soon as its people approved annexation
  and adopted a state constitution.

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Texans Approve Annexation

• On October 13, 1845, Texas approved annexation by
  a vote of 4,254 to 257.
• On December 29, President Polk signed the
  resolution that made Texas a state.

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The Republic of Texas is no more

• On February 19, 1846, at a ceremony in front of
  the Texas capitol, Anson Jones, the fourth and
  last president of the republic, turned over the
  government to J. Pinckney Henderson, the first
  governor of the state.

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Anson JonesThe last president of Texas

• J. Pinckney Henderson
• The first governor of Texas

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President Jones closed his farewell address by
declaring that the final act in this great drama
is now performed the Republic of Texas is no
more.The Lone Star flag was lowered and the
Stars and Stripes was raised.Texas officially
became the 28th state in the United States of
America.
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Texas The
Lone Star State