Republic of Texas

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Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
1836-1845
Texas flag
Seal of Texas
flag coat of arms
Official language English ( de facto )
Spanish , German , French as well as locally Indigenous American languages
Capital Washington-on-the-Brazos 1836 (interim)
Harrisburg 1836 (interim)
Galveston 1836 (interim)
Velasco 1836 (interim)
West Columbia 1836–37
Houston 1837–39
Austin 1839–1845
Form of government republic
surface 1840: 1,007,935 km²
population 1840: 70,000
Population density 0.1 inhabitants per km²
currency Republic of Texas dollars
founding March 2, 1836
The Republic of Texas became part of the United States on December 29, 1845 as the state of Texas
Location of Republic of Texas.png

The Republic of Texas was a partially sovereign state in North America between the United States and Mexico that existed under the protection of the United States from 1836 to 1845. The state came into being after the Texan War of Independence .

location

The Republic of Texas had an area that included what is now the US state of Texas and parts of what is now New Mexico , Oklahoma , Kansas , Colorado and Wyoming , based on the Treaty of Velasco. The eastern border with the United States was established by the Adams-Onís Treaty between the United States and Spain in 1819. The southern and western borders with Mexico were disputed. Texas regarded the Rio Grande as the common border and Mexico the Nueces River .

history

Independence from Mexico was promoted by Americans living in Texas. The first Provisional Government of Texas was formed in San Felipe de Austin on November 7, 1835. The first declaration of independence was signed in Goliad on December 20, 1835. The 1836 Convention was passed in Washington-on-the-Brazos, with Richard Ellis as chairman, and the Texas Declaration of Independence came into effect on March 2, 1836, creating the Republic of Texas.

Four days later, the thirteen-day siege of the Alamo ended when the forces of the Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna defeated the often mentioned 183 (but possibly up to 257) defenders of the Alamo after heavy losses . The Alamo stood outside the then small town and later became the center of the city of San Antonio . Remember the Alamo ! (Think Alamo) became the popular battle cry of the Texas Revolution , but in fact it was “Remember the Alamo, Remember Goliad”. At Goliad, Santa Anna had Colonel James Fannin and 341 of his men who had surrendered in the Battle of Coleto executed a mile outside the city.

The Battle of San Jacinto was fought on April 21, 1836 near what is now the city of Houston . There were 1,600 men under General Santa Anna's command, more than 600 of whom were killed in action. The rest were captured by General Sam Houston's 800 men with nine losses of their own. Houston was wounded and lost control of his troops, who angry at the Alamo and Goliad, showed no mercy. Houston, however, spared Santa Anna's life and forced him to order his two remaining armies to withdraw from Texas. The result of this decisive battle was the independence of Texas from Mexico.

Republic of Texas - the borders of today's US states are overlaid with the borders of 1836–1845

After the Battle of San Jacinto, Sam Houston was elected President of the new republic. The First Congress of the Republic of Texas met in Columbia (now West Columbia ) in October 1836 .

In 1836 five places served as temporary capitals of Texas beginning with Velasco (now Freeport ), as well as Washington-on-the-Brazos , Harrisburg , Galveston and what was then Columbia, before Sam Houston moved the capital to Houston in 1837 . In 1839 the capital was moved to Austin .

The internal politics of the republic was based on the conflict between two factions. The nationalists, led by Mirabeau B. Lamar , advocated continued Texas independence, expulsion of the Indians and the expansion of Texas to the Pacific . Their opponents, led by Sam Houston, advocated affiliation with the United States and peaceful coexistence with the Indians.

The republic has been diplomatically recognized by the United States, France , the United Kingdom , the Netherlands, and the Republic of Yucatán . General Sam Houston became the first President of the Independent Nation and Republic of Texas. With an interruption it was until shortly before the merger with the USA. Houston was governor of the US state from 1856 to 1861. Stephen F. Austin , known as the "Father of Texas," became his state's secretary of state, but died of a lung disease just two months after taking office.

According to the Valesco Treaty of May 1836, signed by General Santa Anna, Texas considered the Rio Grande to be its southern and western borders. When Santa Anna returned to Mexico, the Mexican Congress dismissed the treaty as invalid and refused to recognize the existence of the Republic of Texas. Texas tried to be recognized by Mexico as an independent state and offered the Nueces River as a border as a territorial concession, but without success. The British tried to mediate, but the Mexican government was tough. In 1845, the United States agreed to keep the Rio Grande as a border if Texas joined them as a state. Mexico threatened war if this step were taken.

In Texas itself, however, the majority wanted to join the United States. The country was then annexed on 19 February 1845 by the United States, the US Congress approved it later on March 1, 1845. The formal inclusion in the state union took place on December 29, 1845. Here About erupted in 1846 the Mexican-American War , the ended on February 2, 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo . Mexico waived its claims to Texas and the area between the Rio Grande and Nueces River , but by resolution of September 7, 1850, the US government assigned part of this area to New Mexico , which had since been annexed to the Union as territory. Texas received $ 10 million in compensation for this.

Presidents and Vice Presidents

Presidents and Vice Presidents of the Republic of Texas
from to president Vice President
March 16, 1836 October 22, 1836 David G. Burnet
(interim) 		Lorenzo de Zavala
(interim)
October 22, 1836 December 10, 1838 Sam Houston Mirabeau B. Lamar
December 10, 1838 December 13, 1841 Mirabeau B. Lamar David G. Burnet
December 13, 1841 December 9, 1844 Sam Houston Edward Burleson
December 9, 1844 December 29, 1845 Anson Jones Kenneth L. Anderson

Personalities of the Republic

Stephen F. Austin , known as the "Father of Texas"

Web links

Commons : Republic of Texas  - Collection of Images