Texas History Chapter 13 Lesson 1

Texas History Chapter 13 Lesson 1

Organizing the New Government

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

How do governments change?

IT MATTERS BECAUSE

After winning freedom from Mexico, many Texans expected to become part of the United States. Instead, they faced the challenge of building their own nation.

Multiple Choice

What was the final battle of the Texas Revolution?

• Battle of Velasco

• Goliad Massacre

• Battle of San Jacinto

• The Alamo

Launching the New Republic

• The Texas Revolution lasted from the Battle of Gonzales on October 2, 1835, to the victory at San Jacinto on April 21, 1836.

• The Republic of Texas began with the Declaration of Independence in March 2, 1836, and lasted until 1845, when Texas joined the United States.

• Texas now needed a more permanent government. Voters overwhelmingly approved the Texas Constitution, but they could not amend the constitution. This would make it hard to join the U.S.

• September 5, they would begin holding elections for their new government.

Houston Becomes President

• Stephen F. Austin and Henry Smith both wanted to be the republic’s first president. Texans supported the hero of San Jacinto, Sam Houston.

• Houston was convinced by his friends to run. He won quite easily and made Mirabeau Lamar his vice president.

• He made Henry Smith his first secretary of treasury and Stephen F. Austin secretary of state. Sadly, Austin died shortly after taking office (pneumonia).

• 
  

Issues and Challenges

• The government had no money and was deeply in debt.

• Other countries, including Mexico, needed to recognize their independence.

• Comanche and Kiowa still controlled western Texas and carried out raids on settlements.

• Houston knew he needed to address these problems. "“I am perfectly aware of the difficulties that surround me.… all wounds in the body politic will be healed, and the constitution of the republic derive strength and vigor equal to any emergency.”—President Sam Houston, Inaugural Address

Multiple Select

Check all that apply: What challenges did Texas face after gaining its independence?

• debt

• native raids

• Santa Anna

• recognizing their independence

A Temporary Capital

• Columbia was the first site of the capital. However, it was rugged and small with no place to work.

• John and Augustus Allen had recently founded a settlement on Buffalo Bayou that they called Houston.

• The wanted it to be the nation's leading port for overseas trade and promised to make to make a great city if they would move the capital there.

• In December 1836, the congress named the city of Houston as the capital for three years.

• Early visitors commented at its muddy streets and ramshackle houses and he capitol was a two-story building at the corner of Main Street and Texas Avenue.

Multiple Choice

Where was the original capital of Texas?

• San Antonio

• Columbia

• Austin

• Houston

The Republic’s Money Problems

• The new government did not have enough money to pay its officials or its army. It also owed $1.25 million in public debt that it had borrowed to pay for the revolution.

• This caused the government to put a tariff on all imported goods and tax property and livestock. Many Texans could not afford this so taxes were difficult to collect.

• In addition, the government also struggled in trying to borrow the money.

• President Houston took many measures to cut expenditures.

Multiple Choice

What caused the Texans to have $1.25 million in public debt?

• paying the government

• giving money to Mexico

• paying off the Native Americans

• the revolution

Cutting Costs

• Houston sent 3 of 4 regiments of soldiers home without return which also ended the threat by by army commander Felix Huston to invade Mexico.

• He avoided fights with Native Americans, which saved money and showed his desire for peace. He also asked the Texas Rangers to help protect settlers on ranches and farms.

• Even with the savings, expenditures were greater than revenue and the debt was at $2 million. To help, the government issues their own paper money and promised interest to anyone that purchased it. This decreases in value over time, though.

Multiple Select

Check all that apply: What are some ways Houston tried to help Texas get out of public debt?

• avoid fights with Native Americans

• issued paper money

• sent home regiments

• borrowed money from the U.S.

Founding the Texas Rangers

• In 1835, during the revolution, they formed a small force to be scouts and messengers during war. These men eventually became known as the Texas Rangers

• They received little pay and had to provide their own horse, but most did for patriotism.

• The Rangers' main duty was protecting the soldiers from Native Americans. Their duties were limited because of the peace policies Houston put in place. Many returned home after they finished their assignments.

Texas Rangers

Multiple Choice

Who did the Texas Rangers protect the settlers from?

• Mexicans

• Americans

• Spanish

• Native Americans

Relations With Mexico and Native Americans

• After the Battle of San Jacinto, Santa Anna was agreeable, hoping to gain his freedom from the Texans.

• He ordered Mexican soldiers south of the Rio Grande and even proposed a plan that the U.S. could make a payment to Mexico and gain control of Texas.

• November 1836, Houston released Santa Anna, who briefly visited the U.S. before returning to Mexico, where Anastacio Bustamante was president.

• Bustamante did not agree to Santa Anna's plans. Santa Anna retired and the poor relationship with Mexico remained the same. Mexico still did not recognize Texas independence.

Multiple Choice

Mexico began to recognize Texas independence.

• True

• False

Conflict With Native Americans

• The Waco, Comanche, Kiowa, and other Native American groups resented the Texans living on lands that they viewed as their own.

• Cherokee leader Chief Bowles, who was Houston’s friend, threatened to join the Mexicans against Texas if war broke out again.

• The Comanche and Kiowa were especially hostile, launching raids on farmland.

• Houston also had the Texas Rangers protect and patrol the lands and the raids decreased. He also sent Charles Sims to visit the Native Americans and negotiate peace.

“Assure them…that no harm is intended towards them…and that they shall have their homes and their lands, and peace will be kept with them. Tell them my words shall not perish. Let them remain at peace!”

—Sam Houston, instructions to Charles Sims

Multiple Choice

The Texans had a good relationship with the Native Americans.

• True

• False

The Córdova Rebellion

• While Sims was negotiating peace with some natives, others were getting more upset. Cherokee had moved into Texas by the 1820s.

• The Cherokee were upset that the revolution had caused Americans and Texans to move onto Native American land. In addition, many Tejanos still sided with Mexico and were not happy about Texan independence.

• With the help of Mexico, a Tejano, Vicente Córdova led a rebellion and got some Cherokee to join into the fight.

• The Anglos and Córdova's rebellion fought briefly, and after gathering more volunteers, the Anglos defeated the rebellion. Houston questioned Cherokee leaders about their participation, denying their involvement.

Multiple Choice

The Cordova Rebellion included Tejanos and Native Americans upset about loss of land.

• True

• False

Seeking Annexation and Recognition

• By September 1836, Texas really wanted to become part of the U.S. This is because many of the settlers came from there and they also wanted protection from the from Mexican attacks.

• To do this, though, Texas had to go through the annexation process. This was long and complicated for several reasons.

• Because Mexico did not recognize Texas independence, the U.S. felt this would damange their relationship with Mexico. Antislavery groups were also against annexation. By adding Texas, the U.S. Senate would get more votes in favor of slavery.

United States

• The U.S. did not recognize Texas as an independent nation for many months. President Andrew Jackson did not think Texas could survive.

• So, Houston sent William H. Wharton and Memucan Hunt to Washington, D.C. to convince the U.S. of it's power and finally they granted official recognition.

• Houston also sent Pinckney Henderson to Europe to make negotiations there. He was particularly interested in Great Britain because he thought that would persuade the U.S. to annex Texas.

• During the negotiations, treaties were signed to encourage trade between Britain and France, however, neither country recognized their independence.

Multiple Choice

The U.S. was in favor of the annexation of Texas.

• True

• False