The Lone Star Republic

1
The Lone Star Republic

• Texas Becomes a State
• p. 286 - 289

2
The Texas Question

• During Houstons first term, the United States
  was not ready to annex Texas because it would
  unbalance the ratio of slave and free states.
• The United States also felt annexation would mean
  war with Mexico.
• The push for annexation stopped when Mirabeau B.
  Lamar became president because he did not favor
  becoming part of the U.S.
• In 1844 a treaty was signed making Texas a
  territory of the United States. Texas would give
  its public land to the U.S. and the U.S. would
  pay all debts of the Republic of Texas.

3
The Texas Question

• Some Texans were upset that Texas was only a
  territory, not a state, but were confident the
  U.S. would vote for Texas annexation.
• They were surprised when the U.S. Senate rejected
  it by a vote of 35 to 16.
• The Texas question soon became the center of
  controversy throughout the United States.

4
Polk Wins Election

• Annexation became an issue during the United
  States presidential election of 1844.
• Democratic presidential candidate, James K. Polk,
  supported Texas annexation.
• Polks victory in a very close election showed
  that most of the voters favored annexation.
• Annexation gained momentum from growing support
  for expansion.

5
Polk Wins Election

• Most Americans believed the United States was
  destined to expand coast to coast. This belief
  was called manifest destiny.
• Manifest - apparent clearly revealed to the mind
  or the senses or judgment.
• Destiny - an event (or a course of events) that
  will inevitably happen in the future.

6
Congress and Texas Approve Annexation

• Congressional leaders who wanted annexation
  proposed that Texas be annexed by a joint
  resolution
• It stated Texas could join the United States as
  soon as its people approved annexation and
  adopted a state constitution.
• Texas could keep its public lands, but could sell
  some to pay its debts.
• Texas could be divided into as many as 5 states
  with the approval of Texas and U.S.
• On December 29, 1845, President Polk signed the
  resolution that made Texas a state.

7
Mexico Offers Recognition

• Great Britain and France both preferred that
  Texas remain an independent nation rather than
  become a part of the United States. Both tried to
  convince Mexico that it should recognize Texas
  independence.
• In May 1845, Mexico agreed to acknowledge an
  independent Texas on one condition Texas must
  reject annexation by the United States.
• Texas was not interested. The Texas Congress
  quickly rejected the Mexican proposal and voted
  to accept annexation by the United States.

8
The Republic of Texas is No More

• On February 19, 1846, Anson Jones, the last
  president of the republic, turned over the
  government to J. Pinkney Henderson, the first
  governor of the state.
• President Jones closed his farewell address by
  declaring that the final act in this great drama
  is now performed the Republic of Texas is no
  more.
• The Lone Star flag was lowered, and the Stars and
  Stripes were raised.
• Texas officially became the 28th state in the
  United States of America.