Name:_____________________________________________________ Date:__________________ Period:__________
The Republic of Texas 1836-1845 questions
On a separate sheet of paper answer the following questions
using your notes from class.
Houston’s First Term
1. What challenges did interim president David Burnet face?
Burnet faced many issues, he needed a constitution, a way to
finance the govt, resources and an ability to communicate with
other nations.
2. How were the relations between the Republic of Texas and its
neighbors, the United States and Mexico?
Relations between MX and Texas were tense, issues over the
border and the treaty of Velasco kept them in conflict.
Relations between TX and the USA were strained, US didn’t want
to create problems with MX and be drawn into war.
3. What challenges did the Republic face internally?
Early internal issues revolved around domestic policy verses
foreign policy, recognition as a nation by MX and other nations.
Indian affairs, money, and where to locate the capital.
Lamar Takes Office
4. Why did Mirabeau Lamar move the capital to Austin?
Lamar wanted to move the capital closer to TX settlements. Many
felt that the capital was located too far to the east
5. Why did Lamar want Santa Fe to join the Republic of Texas?
Lamar believed that TX could compete with the USA. He felt that
the border was the Rio Grande, so Santa Fe was within the
Country of TX. Also, Santa Fe was an established trade center.
6. What was Lamar’s policy toward the Cherokees and the
Comanches?
Lamar thought the natives were blocking TX from expanding the
frontier. During his term, there were several conflicts with the
natives: Battle of the Neches, Council House Fight and the Battle
of Plum Creek.
Houston’s Second Term
7. What problems did Houston face during his second term as
president?
Houston had to repair the bankrupt TX and renew peaceful
relations with the natives.
8. Why did the people of Austin prevent the movement of
government documents during the Archives War?
The people of Austin prevented the removal of the archives
because they feared that they would no longer be the capital of
TX.
9. What happened to the men of the Mier expedition?
The soldiers who attacked the MX city of Mier were captured and
faced the lottery of the Black Beans, basically who goes to jail or
who would be executed.
Anson Jones and Annexation
10. What was the most pressing issue of Anson Jones’s
presidency?
Annexation was the most pressing issue. Economics were still a
problem, but Annexation was most Texans concern.
11. What were the arguments for and against Texas joining
the Union?
For joining:
Being part of the US, protects TX from MX, TX could use US
currency-money, Many Texans had family in the US
Against joining:
As a slave state, TX would upset the balance in the US
Congress and the US was not excited to admit a state so in debt.
12. What were the key points of the Joint Resolution of
1845?
TX joins the Union as a state after the people approve a
constitution
TX keeps its public land-can sell it to make money to pay the debt
TX could divide into as many as four states
TX would be a slave state
Daily Life in the Republic
13. What was the main reason people moved to the Republic
of Texas?
Abundance of Cheap land continues to be the main reason people
move to TX
14. Why did some Texans go into the ranching business?
What goods and services were available in Texas towns?
It was a popular business in the past, cattle grazed on public
lands. Ranchers supplied towns people and farmers with food,
hides and other materials.
TX towns provided blacksmith services, carpenters, tailors, other
artisans. Doctors, shopkeepers, silversmiths, cabinetmakers and
banks could be found in larger towns.
15. What was the name of the first college established in
Texas?
Baylor University is the oldest college in Texas.
16. Foreign policy is a government’s plan to deal with
__________.
(A) its enemies.
(B) immigration.
(C) issues inside the country.
(D) issues outside the country.
17. Why was Houston able to understand the problems of
Native American tribes?
(A) He was a Native American himself.
(B) He had lived among the Cherokees for several years.
(C) His mother was a Native American.
(D) He was married to a Native American.
18. When Lamar moved the capital to Waterloo, Congress
changed the town’s name to __________.
(A) Houston.
(B) Santa Fe.
19.
(C) Austin.
(D) Rutersville.
What was the purpose of the Santa Fe expedition?
(A) To find silver for the Republic’s treasury
(B) To increase trade between Austin and Santa Fe
(C) To drive the Comanches out of Texas
(D) To convince Santa Fe and eastern New Mexico to join
Texas
20. Why did Houston order Texas Rangers to move the
archives?
(A) He wanted to show the city of Austin how much power he
had.
(B) He feared they would fall into the hands of the Mexicans.
(C) He wanted them kept in his namesake town.
(D) He did not like the city of Austin.
21. What did the lottery in the Black Bean Episode
determine?
(A) Whether or not Texans would attack Mexico
(B) Who would get to name the capital of the Republic
(C) Which parcels of land in Texas would be given away
(D) Which Texans would be executed by Santa Anna’s troops
22.
Who was nicknamed the “Architect of Annexation”?
(A) Stephen F. Austin
(B) President John Tyler
(C) Sam Houston
(D) Anson Jones
23. Under the Joint Resolution of 1845, what was Texas
required to do with any money it made from the sale of
public land?
(A) Create a public school fund
(B) pay down the debts of the Republic of Texas
(C) Invest in trading posts to help the Native Americans
(D) Increase the strength of its military force
24. The practice of growing just enough crops to support a
farm is called ___________.
(A) Speculation farming.
(B) Revival farming .
(C) Cash crop farming.
(D) Subsistence farming.
25. Why did Texas law require people to live on the property
for three years before obtaining full ownership?
(A) To find out if the people would like living in Texas
(B) To discourage land speculation
(C) To encourage only strong settlers to move to Texas
(D) To determine the land’s potential for growing crops