Untitled Document

The annexation of Texas had been a controversial issue in the United States since the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. During the Republic of Texas, Texans voted in favor of annexation in September 1836. With the exception of President Mirabeau B. Lamar, each of the presidents of the Republic of Texas supported annexation. The United States, however, opposed the measure.

It wasn’t until after the election of President James K. Polk that annexation became a reality for Texas. There was much discussion in the United States over annexing Texas.

Read the chart below to learn about the issues that sparked the annexation debate in the United States.

The Pros and Cons of Annexation of Texas to the United States
Pros (For Annexation)	Cons (Against Annexation)
The annexation of Texas would greatly expand the territory of the United States. The annexation of Texas would help the United States accomplish its goal of Manifest Destiny.	The annexation of Texas could spark a war with Mexico. The annexation of Texas, a slave state, would disrupt the balance of free and slave states in the United States.

Eventually, the United States decided in favor of annexation. In February 1845, a joint resolution was passed and required the following:

Texas would keep its public lands, as well as its public debts
Texas would transfer its military, postal, and customs authority to the United States government
Texas would become a state upon approval of annexation and the creation of a new state constitution

The U.S. government presented this proposal to Texas. The Republic of Texas president, Anson Jones, presented the offer of annexation to the Texas Constitutional Convention. The proposal was approved by the Convention on July 4, 1845. In October 1845, the Texas voters overwhelmingly approved both annexation and the proposal to create a new state constitution. In December 1845, the U.S. House and Senate voted to annex Texas. On December 29, 1845, President James Polk signed the joint resolution and Texas became the 28th state admitted to the United States.