How Texas Became a U.S. State

By

Colman Seery

U.S. Settlers Immigrate to Texas

• Mexico controlled the former Spanish province Texas, and starting in 1824, the Mexican government encouraged people from the U.S. to immigrate and settle in that area in order to fight and crowd out Native Americans.

In 1825, Stephen Austin, eventually known as the Father of Texas, brought the first 300 U.S. families to his settlement in Texas.

Mexico-Texas Tensions• In 1835 Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna replaced the

1824 Mexican Constitution with a new one.

The new constitution outlawed any more U.S. immigration into the Texas area, put taxes on imported U.S. goods, outlawed slavery, and said that everyone had to be Catholic. These laws angered Texans, who were now mostly from the U.S.

Texas Revolution• Starting in 1835, Texans fought for independence from Mexico.

Battle of Alamo

In 1836, General Santa Anna wiped out all but two of the approximately 200 Texans holding out at the Alamo Mission.

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Two famous figures who died at the Battle of Alamo were Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett.

Texas wins the war

• In the final battle, in 1836, General Sam Houston led Texan troops to defeat General Santa Anna’s Mexican forces, killing 630 Mexican soldiers and capturing 730, in just eighteen minutes of fighting. Only nine Texans were killed. Their battle cry was “Remember the Alamo!” They captured Santa Anna and made him sign a treaty.

Battle of San Jacinto

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Texas becomes the Republic of

Texas

In 1836 Texas gains its independence, and Sam Houston becomes its first president.

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The Republic of Texas soon asked to be annexed by the United States. One reason was they wanted to get rid of their large war debt. But they were refused, because non-slave states didn’t want another slave state.

Texas becomes a U.S. state

• President James Polk supported annexation, and in 1845

Congress added Texas into the United States. Because of boundary disputes, Mexico and the United States went to war.

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