Texas: The
th
28
State
Republic to a State
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Resolution to annex Texas was signed into law
on March 1, 1845, making Texas the 28th
state.
Constitutional Convention of 1845
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Texas needed a new constitution to become part of
the United States.
Texas congress adopted a constitution that was
closely modeled after other states.
July 4, 1845
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Delegates met in Austin to discuss the new constitution
Jose Antonio Navarro was the only Texas-born delegate.
5 delegates were signers of the TX Declaration of
Independence
Thomas J. Rusk was elected the President of the
convention
The State Constitution of 1845
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Modeled after the state of Louisiana and the U.S.
Constitution.
Also decided to keep some elements of the Republic
of Texas.
For example:
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Protected homesteads from being taken to pay debts
Did not allow ministers and priests to serve in the
legislature
Did not allow settlers from other states to continue
bringing slaves with them to Texas.
Protected the rights of women to own land, one of the first
states to give women such a right.
Constitution of 1845
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Established three branches of government:
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Legislative: creates the laws
Executive: enforces the laws
Judicial: interprets the laws
Created the executive offices of governor and
lieutenant governor, replacing the Republic’s
President and Vice-President.
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These two officers would hold 2 year terms
Constitution of 1845
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Created a legislature made up of the House of
Representatives and the Senate.
House of Representative members:
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Serve 2 year terms
Senators:
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Serve 4 year terms
Constitution of 1845
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Set up a judicial, or court, system
Established the Texas Supreme Court as the
highest court in the state.
Established lower courts to hear other types of
court cases.
The citizens of Texas elect their judges, unlike
the United States were they are chosen by the
President.
Election of 1845
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Election took place on December 15, 1845
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Results
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James Pinckney Henderson – 1st Governor of TX
Albert C. Horton – Lieutenant Governor
Thomas J. Rusk – U.S. Senator
Sam Houston – U.S. Senator
David Kaufman – U.S. Representative
Timothy Pillsbury – U.S. Representative
John Hemphill – Chief Justice of the TX Supreme
Court
Mexico and the U.S. at
War
Mexican and U.S. Policy on Texas
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The admission of Texas to the U.S. created
hard feelings in Mexico.
Mexico did not recognize the Treaties of
Velasco once Texas was admitted into the
Union.
Mexico warned that is the U.S. admitted
Texas, it would mean war!
Tensions Between Mexico and the
U.S.
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The international border
between the U.S. and
Mexico was set at the Rio
Grande.
Mexico did not recognize
this border. They believed
the border was the Nueces
River.
The U.S. also wanted to
acquire the land that is
present-day California and
the land between TX and the
Pacific Ocean.
Manifest Destiny
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The belief that the U.S. should expand from “sea to shining
sea.”
The U.S. wanted to claim all the land between the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans.
Mexican territory stood in their way!
James K. Polk was the President of the U.S. in 1845.
John Slidell was sent by President Polk to Mexico to speak
with Santa Anna.
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Slidell offered Mexico money to repay property damage that Mexico
had inflicted upon innocent Texans during the Revolution.
In return, Mexico would recognize Texas as part of the U.S. and
transfer California and the land between Texas and California to the
U.S.
Mexican officials refused to see Slidell and were extremely
offended by this offer.
Dispute in the Northern States
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Many northern states believed the United
States only wanted to expand so slavery would
expand as well.
They were against the annexation of Texas
and was with Mexico because of their
objection to slavery.
Fighting Breaks Out
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President Polk ordered
General Zachary
Taylor to place troops
along the Nueces River
(disputed territory).
In response, Mexican
General Mariano
Arista led his troops to
a location just south of
the Rio Grande.
Fighting Breaks Out
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When Mexico refused to discuss matters with John
Slidell, President Polk order Taylor to move his
troops into the disputed territory, what Mexico
believed was theirs!
Fighting broke out just north of the Rio Grande and
just south of the Nueces River.
On April 24, 1846, more than 60 U.S. soldiers
clashed with Mexican troops.
Both commanders sent letters to their governments
claiming they had been fired upon on their own soil!
The War with Mexico
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General Arista moved his troops north of the Rio
Grande and battles took place at Palo Alto and
Resaca de la Palma.
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U.S. claimed victory in both battles.
After these two victories, the U.S. Congress declared
war on Mexico on May 13, 1846.
General Taylor marched his troops into Mexico and
won battles at Monterrey and Buena Vista.
Commander of the U.S. Army was General Winfield
Scott. He took command of Taylor’s regular troops
and led them even further into Mexico.
Took an over water route to Mexico City and landed
at Molino Del Rey in September.
War with Mexico
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General Scott’s troops held off heavy fire
outside of Mexico City at Chapultepec.
The U.S. eventually took over Mexico City
and the Mexican troops fought until the last
man was standing!
Texans in the War with Mexico
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Texans eagerly took part in the war.
About 5,000 Texans served in the U.S. Army
during the war.
Many of the men who fought were Texas
Rangers.
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Served as scouts because they knew the land so
well.
Became known as los diablos Tejanos, the Devil
Texans
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
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13,000 of the 80,000 that
fought during the war died.
The Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo was signed on
February 2, 1848, officially
ending the MexicanAmerican War.
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Mexico agreed that TX was
part of the U.S.
Surrendered all land between
TX and the Pacific
Mexican cession included
California, New Mexico,
Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming,
Utah, and Colorado.
The U.S. paid $15 million in
return for Mexico’s land.
A New Western Border
1845-1851
The Texas-New Mexico Border
Dispute
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Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo established the
Rio Grande River as
Texas’s southern border.
Texans claimed that the
Texas border should
extend as far north as
the river. New Mexico
said otherwise.
Uh Oh…Dispute!
Texas Tries to Gain Control of New
Mexico
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Texas tried to gain control of New Mexico
through diplomacy and by threat, but those
efforts failed.
The state legislature created new counties to
occupy some of the area of dispute. El Paso
was one of those counties, which eventually
became our western-most county.
The dispute continues…
Disagreements Over Slavery and
Territories
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The United States was dealing
with the issue of slavery at this
time in history.
The states in the union for slavery
equaled those that were against it.
Many Americans feared that if
Texas were to be admitted as the
larger territory, it would tip the
balance of states for slavery.
If Texas were split into two states,
Texas and New Mexico, then New
Mexico would be against slavery,
and the balance would remain.
WHAT SHOULD THE U.S.
DO????
+
Compromise of 1850
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As a result of the Compromise of 1850, Texas gave
up some its territory for $10 million.
The Texas and New Mexico Act established the
boundaries between Texas and New Mexico where
they are today. In fact, this Act determined the
boundaries of all of Texas as they are today.
Texans eventually accepted this agreement because
Texas needed the money to settle its debt with the
U.S., and to fund other programs for the new state.
Dispute settled…for now…