A New Constitution July 1845: Delegates attending the
convention of 1845 wrote a new constitution for the state of Texas Writing a constitution was one of the first
orders of business for the Texas government Provided for a governor
Two year term Created a legislature
Two houses House of Representatives (2 years) Senate (4 years)
Created a court system Supreme court District and county courts
1850: The constitution was amended, or changed, to provide for the election of all judges Also protected slavery Barred all women from voting
A New Constitution, Continued…
Texas Legislators at Work The governor’s term was two years
No Governor could serve more than two terms in a row
J. Pinckney Henderson was elected the first governor of Texas Francis Cox Henderson became known as the
“First Lady of Texas” Sam Houston and Thomas J. Rusk were the
first to be elected to the U.S. Senate David Kaufman and Timothy Pillsbury were
elected to the U.S. House of Representatives
Problems with the New State Serious problems were facing Texas and
their new officials Debt Native American Raids Mexico’s lack of recognition
Notes: A New State Constitution
The Constitution of 1845
Provided for a GovernorTwo-Year Term (J. Pinckney Henderson
elected 1st governor)
Provided for a LegislatureTwo Houses: House of Representatives
(elected for 2 years) and Senate (elected for 4 years)
Provided a Supreme CourtSupreme Court, District Courts, County
Courts (all judges elected)
Slavery Protected slavery in Texas
Women’s Rights Barred all women from voting
Political Parties in Texas 1850’s: Political parties became organized in Texas Most early leaders in Texas joined the Democratic Party
The Democratic party was very strong in the South The Whig Party represented mostly business and
commercial interests The Whig Party was the other major political party in the U.S.
in the 1830’s-1850’s Opposed expansion of slavery in Texas Lacked support in Texas
1854 and 1855: Many Texans joined the American, or Know-Nothing Party. The American party wanted to keep new immigrants from
voting or holding public office The Democratic Party patterned their own party after the
American Party Nominated candidates at political meetings called conventions
None of the major political parties represented African Americans
Free African Americans were not eligible to vote or join political parties Participated by filing petitions with the
legislature Many others went to court to try and protect
the little freedom they had
African Americans in Texas
African Americans in Texas, Cont. 1850: Mary Madison, a Galveston nurse,
filed a petition to stay in Texas This petition was one of only a few to be
granted Emeline FWC, a free African American,
hired lawyers and went to court in Harris County She claimed she had been mistakenly sold as a
slave She and her children were freed by the jury
and awarded $1 in damages
Federal Aid for Reservations The federal government stationed troops in west
Texas to prevent clashes between settlers and Native Americans
As settlers pushed west, clashes increased The U.S. government made a plan to relocated
Native Americans on to reservations Many refused, while others were not given enough land 1859: the government decided to move Native
Americans into Indian Territory, north of the Red River The Comanche's and Kiowa's still continued to attack
settlements after the move
Notes: Political Parties in Texas
Political Parties in Texas
Democratic P.
• Very strong in the South
• Favored annexation
• Represented laborers and farmers
• Most early leaders of Texas were Democrats
Whig Party American Party
• Represented mostly business and commercial interests
• Lacked major support in Texas
• Opposed annexation
• Opposed slavery in new territories
• Also known as the “Know-Nothing” Party
• Wanted to keep immigrants from holding public office or voting.
• First to use conventions to nominate candidates
Headed Towards War The government of Mexico never recognized the
Republic of Texas and considered the annexation of Texas by the U.S. to be an insult to Mexico
Many problems erupted between the United States and Mexico Mexico did not accept the Rio Grande as the border
between Mexico and Texas Mexico did not like the westward expansion of
commerce in to Mexican California The U.S. wanted to acquire the Pacific port of San Francisco
to help in trade with China President James K. Polk was determined to continue
expansion
Earlier the United States asked Mexico to pay the victims of Santa Anna and the Texas Revolution
Now, the U.S. was prepared to pay the debts that Texas owned, including $30 million to Mexico In return, Mexico had to accept the Rio Grande
as the new border They also had to cede, or give, California to the
western half of New Mexico to the United States
The U.S. sent John Slidell to Mexico to negotiate the deal
Headed Towards War, Cont.
Headed Towards War, Cont. The Mexican government refused to speak
with Slidell, resulting in a total break down of diplomatic relations
March 1846: President Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to move his troops across the Nueces River to the Rio Grande
War is Declared May 1846: American and Mexican soldiers
clashed just north of the Rio Grande. May 13, 1846: The United States declared
war against Mexico The Mexican American War was fought at Palo
Alto and Resaca de la Palma. U.S. President: James Polk Mexico’s President: Mariano Paredes
Texans in the War Some U.S. citizens questioned the motives for the
war Abolitionists, people who worked to end slavery, though
the war was a way to spread slavery More than 5,000 Texans joined the war and
fought for the United States Edward Burleson, Albert Sidney Johnson, Mirabeau
Lamar, J. Pinckney Henderson Several companies of Texas Rangers served as
scouts for the American army
United States Victory The United States military was better equipped and better
trained General Zachary Taylor capture northern Mexico, and
followed with Monterrey Feb. 1847: Taylor defeated the Mexican army at Buena
Vista Troops then captured Mexico City in September 1847
Feb. 2, 1848: representatives of both governments signed a peace treaty at Guadalupe Hidalgo Mexico gave up all claims to Texas Accepted the Rio Grande as their border Mexico surrendered all territory between west Texas and the
pacific ocean, known as the Mexican Cession California, Nevada and Utah U.S. agreed to pay $15 million to Mexico for the land
The New Mexico Boundary Dispute The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the
dispute between the United States and Mexico concerning Texas
A new dispute began on whether Santa Fe would become part of Texas, or a new state
In the Pearce Act, as a part of the Compromise of 1850,Texas would give up their claim to the disputed area As a result, the United States gave Texas $10 million
dollars to pay off debts
War with MexicoView towards the Mexican-American War
President PolkWanted to acquire San Francisco (then in Mexico
controlled California) to expand trade. Offered to buy California, and give Mexico $30 million
AbolitionistsWorried that the war was another way for the United
States (slave states) to spread slavery.
5000 Texans5,000 Texans quickly joined the war efforts.
Served as scouts for the American Army.Some women worked as nurses and cooks in war
U.S. Congress
Some believed the motives for war were not honest (example: wanted to spread slavery)
Previous “invasion” of 1846 was actually in disputed lands, not the United States.
Texas Population Booms 1850: The Texas population was 212,592 In the next 10 years, the population grew to
604,215 The Homestead Act allowed people to obtain land
simply by living on the land Helped increase population in to Texas
Most new arrivals came from the Southern United States 42,000 residents came from Tennessee Before the Civil War, abandoned homes in the South
would be marked with signs reading GTT, which meant Gone to Texas
The population increase led to a need for new counties 26 new counties were created
Mexican Texans Mexicans continued to move to Texas as well Most Mexicans lived in one of three areas
Between the Nueces River and Rio Grande In the San Antonio-Goliad area Along the Rio Grande from Del Rio to El Paso
Mexican Texans, Cont. Farming and ranching
provided the main occupations for Mexican Americans Owned ranches Worked as cowhands,
sheepherders and ranch laborers
Mexican Americans living in the towns were business owners Teamsters (animal
drivers) Domestic servants Day laborers Craft workers
Politics and Bias
Some Mexican Americans were active in political life Jose Antonio Navarro and Santos Benavides
Many Mexican Americans still faced hostilities and prejudice Juan Cartina became a protector of the rights
of Mexicans and Tejanos Regarded as an outlaw by the governments of Mexico
and Texas but as a hero by many Mexicans and Tejanos
Politics and Bias, Cont. Most negative feelings towards Mexican
Americans were a result of the battles of the Alamo and Goliad Despite the problems, Mexican Americans were
able to hold on to their culture Today that culture is mixed with Anglo
American culture in Texas
European Immigrants Thousands of people immigrated to Texas from
Europe In the 1840’s and 1850’s, most immigrants to Texas
were from Germany 1860: 43,422 foreign born citizens lived in Texas
Every European country was represented in Texas
German Texans By 1860, one-fifth of all
residents of Houston, Galveston and San Antonio were Germans More than 20,000
Germans lived in Texas Many migrated to Texas to
escape harsh conditions in Germany The potato famine struck
Germany and northwest Europe after devastating Ireland in the mid 1840’s
Political and economic difficulties led Germans to leave Germany for a new start
Other European Arrivals Natives of several other European countries arrived in
Texas during the years of early statehood Ireland, England, France Polish and Czechs
Many Norwegians also came to Texas Elisa Waerenskjold was a pioneer and community leader from
Norway Known as the “walking newspaper’
Jewish immigrants were active in Texas during the early days of colonization Lewis Levy wrote a letter to the Asmonean, a New York
newspaper, urging persecuted Jews to come to Texas New arrivals brought new cultures with music, religion,
traditions and skill sets
Native Americans Only a few Native Americans continued to live
peacefully in Texas The Alabama Coushatta's settled along the Trinity River
in east Texas Many continued to live on a reservation set aside for
them in 1854 By 1855, more than 300 Alabama-Coushatta's lived on
the reservation The Tiguas and Kickapoos
Tiguas are believed to be the descendents, or offspring, of the Pueblos of New Mexico
The Kickapoos were recognized as a sovereign nation in 1989 and are now officially known as the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas
Have a settlement near Eagle Pass, Texas
Immigration In TexasPositive Effects
New counties with local governments were formed
Provided new employment opportunities
Provided land for many who could not previously afford it.
Negative Effects
Many Mexican Americans faced hostility and prejudice
Slavery increased
Immigrant Groups in Texas
Immigrant Group Why, Where, When?
Americans (1840-1850)
Legalized slavery and cheap land brought many Americans. GTT-Abandoned American cabins labeled “Gone to Texas”,
Formed new counties in Texas, brought new jobs
Mexican Texans25,000 Mexicans lived in Texas at this time. Lived near the
Nueces River, Rio Grande River and South Texas. Farmers and Ranchers, teamsters, laborers and craft-workers.
German TexansFounded New Braunfels and Fredericksburg, More than 20,000
German immigrants moved to Texas. Immigrants escaped potato famine in Ireland and Germany.
Other EuropeansImmigrants came from Ireland, Poland, Norway, England and France. Came to escape fighting and famine in Europe. Many
became artisans, writers and active community members.
Alabama-CoushattasTexas Legislature purchased 1,280 acres for the Alabama tribe, Coushatta joined reservation through marriage or
special permission
Tiguas and Kickapoos Kickapoo settlement set up near Eagle Pass, Texas (125 acres), Tiguas settled near El Paso, Texas