Texas Bill of Rights Similar to the U.S. Bill of Rights, a Texas Bill of Rights was included with the
Constitution of 1836 as well as with the Constitution of 1876 which still governs the state today. The
document specifies the basic rights protected by the Texas Constitution. These include freedom of speech,
freedom of religion, freedom of press, and the right to trial by jury.
Texas Constitution The Convention of 1836 approved the Texas Declaration of Independence on
March 2, 1836, and then spent two weeks drafting a constitution to guide the government of the new
republic. They used the U.S. Constitution as a model in order to establish three branches of government
with limited powers, protect individual rights, and promote the common good. The government was based
on popular sovereignty; that is, the ultimate power rested with the people. This principle is a characteristic
of democratic government. As part of the conditions of annexation in 1845,
Texas voters approved a new constitution to govern the new state. In 1865, in compliance with President
Andrew Johnson’s plan for Reconstruction, Texas delegates convened another Constitutional Convention.
They basically amended the 1845 Constitution, declared secession illegal, repudiated the state war debt,
and ended slavery. Voters ratified the Constitution of 1866 on June 25. Another Constitutional convention
occurred between June 1868 and February 1869. The Constitution granted more civil rights to blacks,
increased the authority of the governor, and designated a public school system. The current Texas
Constitution was adopted in 1876 and was modeled on the Constitution of 1845. The Constitution of 1876
limited the power of state government by reducing the governor’s term to two years [since changed to four
years by constitutional amendment] and establishing a biennial legislative session.
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ended the Mexican War (18461848). Mexico recognized Texas as a state and gave up any claims to the territory. It recognized the Rio
Grande as the border between Texas and Mexico, and authorized transference of land that included
California and New Mexico to the United States. Mexico received $18,250,000 for the region.
Mexican War On December 29, 1845, President John K. Polk signed the Texas Admission Act,
annexing Texas as the twenty-eighth state in the union. Mexican officials protested the move because they
considered Texas part of Mexico. Territory disputes fueled already tense diplomatic relations. General
Zachary Taylor led troops into territory near Brownsville which was claimed by both the United States and
Mexico. On May 9, 1846, U.S. and Mexican troops skirmished and President Polk used this engagement to
justify his request for war. The war officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on
February 2, 1848. Mexico ceded all claims north of the Rio Grande to the United States, an area including
present-day states of California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and
Wyoming.
Texas Rangers The Texas Rangers were first used to protect settlers moving into west Texas in the
1830s. The Rangers continue to serve as special law officers responsible for keeping peace throughout the
state. During the Mexican War (1846-1848), Texas Rangers shared their knowledge of south Texas and
northern Mexico with U.S. forces. They gained a reputation as leaders and fighters but they were criticized
for being reckless and independent. Mexicans called them the Texas Devils. The Rangers had a distinct
advantage in their efforts to maintain peace in Texas when they started using the Colt revolver in the 1840s.
There is a museum and hall of fame dedicated to the Texas Rangers in Waco, Texas.