Life in the New Republic Reading Notes (Chapters 13-15.2)
1. According to page 315, what significant role did James Pinckney Henderson play in the Republic of Texas? He
secured official recognition from Great Britain and France
2. The statue on page 316 represents what event? Archives War of 1842
3. The original state capitol building was built in the 1850s but burned in 1881.
4. According to the timeline on pages 316-317, what important advancement in communication was
introduced in the U.S. in the 1840s? telegraph
5. Who were the candidates of the 1836 presidential elections?
a. Stephen F. Austin
c. Sam Houston
b. Henry Smith
6. Who won the first Republic of Texas presidential election? Sam Houston
7. Who occupied the following positions –
a. Vice President – Mirabeau Lamar
b. Secretary of the Treasury – Henry Smith
c. Secretary of State – Stephen F. Austin
8. Who founded the settlement of Houston? John and Augustus Allen
9. The city of Houston expanded from just one building(s) and dozen people in January 1837 to 100 building(s)
and 1,500 residents that spring.
10. Where in the city of Houston was the capitol building located? Corner of Main Street and Texas Avenue
11. In 1835 the leaders of the revolution formed a small force to serve as scouts and messengers during the war.
These men (Texas Rangers) received no pay. They also had to provide their own horses, food, and guns.
Most were inspired to serve Texas by their patriotism. After the war, their main duty became protect
settlers from the Native Americans.
12. Following the Battle of San Jacinto, Santa Anna seemed agreeable. Hoping to gain his freedom, he ordered
Mexican forces to return south of the Rio Grande. While in custody, he proposed a plan by which the U.S.
could make a payment to Mexico and gain control of Texas. In November 1836, Sam Houston released Santa
Anna with hope to improve relations with Mexico. Anastasio Bustamante became president of Mexico and
did not agree with Santa Anna’s plans. The situation with Mexico remained the same – its government still
refused to recognize the independence of Texas.
13. What friend of Sam Houston was also the leader of the Cherokees? Chief Bowles
14. Describe the Cordova Rebellion.
a. Who was involved (both sides)? Cherokees and Mexican rebels (led by Vicente Cordova) against Anglo
Americans
b. Where did this event occur? Nacogdoches
c. Why did this event occur? Many Tejanos remained loyal to Mexico and were upset by Texas
government not protecting the property & political rights of the Tejanos
d. What was the result? Brief fight and rebellion defeated near Sequin
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15. What were the two main reasons the U.S. refused to annex Texas? U.S. feared annexation would damage
relations with Mexico; Texas was for slavery and a new slave state would upset the balance in the U.S.
Congress giving slave states more control
16. Who did Sam Houston send to Washington, D.C. to work on U.S. recognition of Texas?
a. William H. Wharton
b. Memucan Hunt
17. Why did Sam Houston not run for re-election? The Constitution of 1836 stated that the president could not
serve consecutive terms (not back to back)
18. What country was the first to recognize Texas? France
19. What is the oldest university in Texas? Baylor
20. In the early 1800s, the Cherokee people in the southeast U.S. came under pressure from white settlers
wanting their land. Some voluntarily moved including a small group who ended up in Texas by around 1820.
In 1830 the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, which said Native Americans living in the
southeast to be moved to the Indian_ Territory (present-day Oklahoma). In 1838 the U.S. Army forcibly
moved more than 16,000 Cherokee. On the long march (known as the Trail of Tears), it is estimated that
4,000 Cherokee died. Soon after, the Cherokee living in Texas were forced to leave in an unrelated event.
21. Chief Bowles (Duwali) was a Cherokee leader in Texas. Due to growing pressure from white settlers, he led
his people to East Texas around 1819. He hoped to receive an official grant of land, but the spanish
government never issued one. The Mexican government gave the Cherokee a grant but they didn’t have
enough money. Sam Houston promised them land for staying out of the war but the Texas Congress never
approved the treaty. Lamar ordered the Cherokee to leave Texas. Fighting broke out and Chief Bowles was
killed.
22. Who was the commodore of the Texas Navy? Edwin Moore
23. In 1840 Lamar ordered the Texas navy to help Mexican rebels in the Yucatan province. The navy was
successful; therefore in a short time, the navy became the dominant naval force in the western Gulf of
Mexico.
24. How much did Sam Houston spend during his 2nd term as president? $500,000
25. What role did Angelina Eberly play in the Archives War? Fired a cannon to alert the people of Austin that
the government archives were being taken away
26. What event caused the Archives War? In March 1842, the Mexican army invaded and captured San
Antonio. Sam Houston ordered the archives moved from Austin to Houston for safety
27. In September 1842, about 1,500 Mexican troops seized San Antonio again. Texas volunteers and a small
group of Texas Rangers led by Jack Coffee Hays defeated them at the Battle of Salado Creek. Just 14 Texas
Rangers took part in this battle. They were a powerful fighting force because they carried Colt revolvers.
American inventor Samuel Colt began making the world’s first repeating handgun in 1837.
28. Why did the Mier Expedition take place? 300 Texans disobeyed orders and invaded Mexico and attacked
the town of Mier. The Texans surrendered and then was marched back to Mexico City
29. Why do you think the Mexicans chose to execute only some of the prisoners instead of all of them? Santa
Anna did not want to upset the Texans again by executing all of the prisoners (Goliad, Alamo)
Life in the New Republic Reading Notes (Chapters 13-15.2)
30. Texas grew rapidly – in 1836 the population was 50,000 but near the end of 1845 the population was125,000
- meaning that the population almost tripled.
31. Why did Stephen Austin have Mexico pass a law to protect land grants? To protect the new settlers’ homes
from creditors trying to collect debts
32. What criteria were used to determine who received land grants? Land was granted depending on when the
family arrived; race and gender were also a criteria
33. Who were the 3 most prominent immigrant agents in Texas?
a. German Emigration Company - reduce economic strain on their country and create new overseas
commerce; founded the towns of New Braunfels and Fredericksburg
b. Henri Castro - brought settlers from Alsace France but they spoke German; used his own money and
resources; founded the towns of Castroville, D’Hanis, Quihi and Vandenburg
c. W.S. Peters and Associates - largest land grants; most settlers came from U.S.; located in North Texas
34. Where is the German Belt? South Central Texas
35. Who was the founder of Dallas? John Neely Bryan
36. What is Carl Adolph Douai given credit of doing? Opening the first kindergarten in Texas
37. New Towns
a. Marshall was founded in 1849 and developed a strong agriculture economy boosted by the railroad.
b. Jefferson was founded in the 1840s and used steamboats along the waterways to boost its economy.
c. Grand Saline (formerly known as Jordan’s Saline) developed due to a large vein of underground rock
salt.
d. Waco was founded by Neal McLennan.
38. What conflicts did the Tejanos (Mexican Texans) face in the new republic? Prejudice; questions of disloyalty;
land being taken by force; force to flee Texas
39. Who was William Goyens and what were his contributions to the new republic? Free African American;
blacksmith; Indian interpreter and peace negotiator
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Agriculture in the Republic
Small Farms
subsistence crops
such as corn
cash crops such as
cotton
livestock such as
cattle and hogs
Plantations
focused on large cash
crops such as cotton
and sugarcane
Used slave labor
Ranching
Slave Economy
Cattle breed Texas
Longhorn
1836 5,000 slaves
Dry climate attracted
goat and sheep
ranchers
1845 30,000 slaves
Many squatters
grazed their herds on
land they didn't own
1861 1 in 4 families
had slaves
1. doctors
2. lawyers
3. teachers
4. ministers
Trades
Professions
40. How did enslaved African Americans contribute to the economy of the Texas Republic? Slave labor helped
bring a 600% increase in cotton production
1. blacksmiths
2. wheelwrights
3. furniture makers
4. cabinetmakers
5. potters
6. weavers
7. wainwrights
41. Name 6 industries that developed in the Republic of Texas.
a. Sawmills
d. Cement
b. Gristmills
e. Tin
c. Tanneries
f. Sheet-Iron
42. What transportation methods were in use during the republic? Horseback, stagecoach, horse-drawn
wagons, steamboats eventually railroads
43. What communication methods were in use during the republic? Newspaper, telegraph, mail, travelers
44. The telegraph was the first technology that allowed people to send messages over long distances almost
instantly. Texas could have had the rights to the invention when Samuel Morse wrote a letter to the minister
of Texas to the U.S. offering Texas the rights. But Texas never accepted and the rights and payments for use
went to the U.S..
Life in the New Republic Reading Notes (Chapters 13-15.2)
45. Mary Ann Adams Maverick – pioneer and writer; kept a diary of her experiences in Texas; married Samuel
Maverick (a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence); wrote of everyday life as well as significant
events such as the Council House Fight of1840; described the Mexican invasion of San Antonio in 1842;
launched the Battle of Flowers celebration in 1891 (known as Fiesta San Antonio) which honors the heroes
of the Alamo and the victory at the Battle of San Jacinto.
46. What was daily life like for people in Texas? Socialized with neighbors when they could; combined work
with play; husking bees; house raisings; hunting; fishing; made quilts (women); dancing; festivals
47. Which type of celebration reflected Tejano culture? Fandango - fiesta
48. Which three European immigrant groups also held festivals in the republic? Germans, Czechs, Irish
49. Before the Texas Revolution, Roman Catholicism was the only religion recognized. But Texas independence
and the Constitution of 1836 guaranteed freedom freedom which meant Protestant churches gained
popularity in Texas.
50. Describe the healthcare in the Republic of Texas? Medical training was poor and not very advanced; women
cared for those in small rural areas with no doctor; medicines – teas made from watermelon, catnip, sage,
sassafras, cornhusks, butterfly weed
51. Describe public education in the Republic of Texas. President Lamar established funds to help with
education but it didn’t help at first; education was by the community at home or private teachers or at
private schools
52. What two issues contributed to the rejection of the Texas annexation treaty by the U.S. Senate? The U.S. did
not want to start a war with Mexico; issue of slavery
53. How did the American belief of Manifest Destiny influence policies related to Texas?
Americans wanted Manifest Destiny—they elected Polk in 1844 because of his support for Manifest
Destiny, he also supported annexation of Texas
54. Which two countries were concerned about the U.S. annexing Texas and Why?
Britain- Concerned about growing power of the US
Mexico- Worried that if the US annexed TX the US would border Mexican land/territory
55. How did the Joint Resolution of 1845 differ from the Treaty of 1844?
Texas admitted as a state not territory, Texas allowed to keep public land
56. What was Texas President Anson Jones’s role during the annexation negotiations with the U.S.?
Called a special session of Congress to decide on whether or not TX would join the US
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57. On ___December______ 29, __1845___, U.S. President James K. Polk signed the resolution that made Texas
the __29___ state.
58. In a ceremony on February 19, 1846, Anson Jones took down the _____Lone Star_____ flag and raised the
__American________ flag and said “The ___Republic_____ of _____Texas_____ is no more.”
59. What were some provisions in the Texas Constitution of 1845 concerning family life and educations that
were unusual for the time?



exempted gamily homesteads from forced sales to pay off debts
married men had to get wives consent in selling a homestead
women’s right to separate ownership of property before or after marriage
Spain controlled Texas had Spanish laws
1821 Mexican gained
independence and
wrote the Constitution
of __1824___
1836 Texas gained
independence and
wrote the Constitution
of ___1836__
1845 Texas joined the
U.S. and wrote the
Constitution of
___1845___
What do you think
happens every time
Texas changes power?
A new Constitution