Source: metapth2416, Texas History, University of North Texas
The first order of business after Texas was admitted to the United States on December 29, 1845 was to complete the state constitution. There are similarities between the Texas State Constitution and the U.S. Constitution; both documents have a preamble, bill of rights, and articles that include the separation of powers.
Source: metapth2416, Texas History, University of North Texas
Constitution of the State of Texas (1845)
PREAMBLE
We the People of the State of Texas, acknowledging with gratitude the grace of God, in permitting us to make [a] choice of our form of government, do in accordance with the provisions of the Joint Resolutions for annexing Texas to the United States, approved March 1, one thousand eight hundred and forty-five, ordain and establish this Constitution.
The first governor of the Texas, J. Pickney Henderson took office in 1846.
Source: Henderson, Legislative Reference Library of Texas
Although annexation had been approved, there were issues that faced the new state. The first issue was population growth. Texas experienced rapid population growth during the years of the Republic. After statehood, the trend continued as people were attracted to the state. The amount of available land appealed to many people. Those with adventuresome spirits came to Texas to experience the endless possibilities of living in the state.
Since Texas had been admitted to the United States as a slave state, slave owners continued to move to Texas in large numbers. European immigrants also moved to Texas in large groups. According to the Galveston Historical Foundation, from 1838 to 1935, more than 200,000 immigrants from all over the world entered the United States through the Port of Galveston. Many of those immigrants remained in Texas while others ventured to other areas in North America. Many European immigrant groups that remained in Texas lived in places where European cultures have existed throughout Texas history.
Slavery was another issue that was prevalent in the early statehood of Texas. Slavery had existed during the Republic of Texas, and once Texas had become a state, people who owned slaves flocked to the new state. With this influx of slave owners coming to Texas, the population of African-American slaves increased. In 1847, there were approximately 39,000 slaves in Texas. The Texas slave population had risen to over 42,000 in 1848; by 1850, there were more than 58,000 slaves in Texas.
On the graph below, examine the changes in the population growth in Texas during its early statehood. Click on each of the highlighted years to learn more, and then answer the questions that follow.
Answer the following questions in your notes.
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From 1845 to 1850, the total population of Texas increased.
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People from the United States and Europe began immigrating to Texas in great numbers after Texas was annexed to the United States in 1845. Immigration to Texas steadily increased after 1845. The vast amount of cheap, fertile land attracted many people.
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From 1845 to 1850, the slave population of Texas increased.
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The slave population in Texas was established during the Republic of Texas because there were no laws against slavery. Texas was admitted to the United States as a slave state. As slave owners continued to move to Texas, the slave population continued to increase, as well.
The relationship between Texas and Mexico had been historically tense. Texas gained its independence from Mexico after winning the final battle in the Texas Revolution. Mexico, led by Santa Anna, never recognized Texas as a free and independent republic. After the annexation of Texas, there was a boundary dispute between Texas and Mexico. Within a year, the two countries were at war.
Click on each of the stars below to learn the causes of the U.S. – Mexican War.
The U.S. – Mexican War started in 1846 and ended in 1848. This was the first conflict where the United States fought on foreign soil. The causes of the war mainly originated within the state of Texas.
The first battle of the U.S. – Mexican War took place on April 25, 1846. The Mexican Cavalry, made up of 2,000 men, attacked a group of 63 U.S. soldiers in a scouting party, led by General Zachary Taylor. Nearly a dozen U.S. soldiers were killed in the battle. Over the course of the war nearly 38,000 soldiers died. The deaths related to the actual battle were approximately 20,000; the rest were attributed to disease in the U.S. camps. The war ended in 1848 when U.S. troops entered Mexico City.
Click on the link below to access a timeline of the U.S. – Mexican War.
U.S. - Mexican War Interactive Timeline
After capturing Mexico City, the United States was able to bring the war to a close. Mexico's leader, Santa Anna, was stripped of his command and exiled to Jamaica. Negotiations began to end the war peacefully.
After falling to the United States in Mexico City in September 1847, the Mexican government surrendered to the United States and began negotiations to end the war. The result was the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This document brought the U.S. – Mexican war to an official end. It was signed on February 2, 1848, at Guadalupe Hidalgo. The Mexican government had fled to this city as the U.S. troops advanced through Mexico.
Peace negotiations were initially attempted with President Santa Anna but were unsuccessful. Nicholas Trist, chief clerk of the State Department, along with General Winfield Scott, represented President Polk in the final negotiations.
Click on the book to read about Article V of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
Five years after the annexation of Texas, slavery continued to be an issue in the United States. As the United States continued to expand westward, the balance between slave and free states created conflict within the U.S. Congress. Southern states favored slavery, while northern states wanted to end slavery in the United States.
By 1850, the United States controlled the land from the Atlantic Coast to the Pacific Coast. The government had to determine how to balance slavery while admitting new territories. The area on the map below comprised most of what is the present-day continental United States.
Scroll over each outlined area to learn more.
A compromise was proposed by U.S. Senator Henry Clay to avoid further conflict during this time of expansion. The Compromise of 1850 not only addressed the issue of slavery in the United States, but it also addressed the boundary issues between Texas and Mexico. The compromise provided five acts that were enacted in September 1850.
The acts included the following: