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Chapter Four: Launching a Nation, 1836-48
Problems confronting the Republic of Texas
1.
2.
3.
4.
Independence
Santa Anna
Military divisiveness
Finances
5.
6.
7.
Physical devastation
Plains Indians
Mexican resentment
Presidents of the Republic of Texas
David G. Burnet
Sam Houston
Mirabeau B. Lamar
Sam Houston
Anson Jones
1836-1836
1836-1838
1838-1841
1841-1844
1844-1846
In 1836, Sam Houston easily became the first popularly elected president of Texas. Texans
preferred “republicanism,” which they associated with the Anglo-American way of life. They
wanted a government limited by a constitution in which the citizens held the sovereignty. They
also wanted English as the primary language, religious toleration, and free enterprise.
Houston 1836-38
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Recognition: The United States was the first country to recognize the Republic of
Texas.
Finances: To relieve the nation’s financial distress, Houston’s government issued paper
money and practiced austerity.
Boundaries: The Texas congress fixed the nation’s southern boundary at the Rio Grande
River.
Counties: The Texas congress changed the Mexican municipios into county units.
Immigration: The Texas congress offered free land as an inducement to immigrants.
Defense: In 1837, the Texas congress created a law enforcement corps that would later
take on the name Texas Rangers.
Adversaries, led by Mirabeau Lamar, criticized Houston:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Houston had made a treaty with the Cherokees trading land in northeastern Texas for the
Indians neutrality in Texas’ war for independence. Lamar wanted the Republic to reject
the treaty.
Lamar condemned Houston for failing to eliminate the Indian danger on the western
frontier.
Lamar criticized Houston for his failure to get Mexican recognition of Texas’
independence and for his effort to get the United States to annex Texas.
Lamar blamed Texas’ financial problems on Houston’s fiscal ineptness.
Lamar 1838 – 41
Expenses during the Lamar administration
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Defense
Moving capital to Austin
Postal services
Government bureaucracy
Establishing empire
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Lamar spent extravagantly to build a military and, in 1839, to move the nation’s capitol from
Houston to Austin. Lamar wanted to lure settlers to the frontier and he wanted to move the
government away from the area of strongest support for Houston.
Other issues during the Lamar administration
1.
2.
3.
Homestead Act (1839)
Empresario system (1840-1841)
Education
The Homestead Act of 1839 protected citizens from seizures of their homestead, tools, and work
animals. The congress also established an empresario system modeled on the Mexican
colonization program.
Attacks by the Houston faction on the Lamar administration
1.
2.
3.
Finances
Relocation of capital
Santa Fe Expedition
Houston 1841 – 44
1.
2.
3.
Retrenchment
Indians
Finances
Houston returned to the presidency in 1841 where he cut spending and unsuccessfully sought
peace with the Indians. Houston was unable to reduce the Republic’s debt.
Anson Jones 1844 – 45
Like Houston, Jones could not solve the problem of indebtedness.
Factors explaining population growth
1.
2.
Natural reproduction
Immigration: headrights, depression of 1837, opportunity for land, land speculators,
debtors, empresario system
The population grew to 162,500 by 1848. The empresario system attracted immigrants. Henri
Castro founded a French-speaking community and Prince Carl von Solms-Braunfels established
German settlements.
Towns
Augustus C. and John K. Allen founded Houston and convinced lawmakers to establish the
nation’s first capitol there. Galveston, blessed with one of the best harbors o the Gulf of Mexico,
rivaled Houston in the cotton trade by the late 1830s. President Lamar selected the sight for
Austin which became the national capital in 1839. Bexar (San Antonio) and Laredo were largely
isolated from the Anglo settlements.
Farmers grew corn, cotton (the most reliable export commodity), and side plots of vegetables and
fruit trees.
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Slave plantations experienced a brisk expansion. Between 1836 and 1847, the number of blacks
(almost all of whom were slaves) increased from 5,000 to 38,753. Slave codes established harsh
penalties for blacks found guilty of assaulting whites. Often whites lynched blacks suspected of a
crime against whites. Slaves worked in the fields and faced punishment if they protested. Some
escaping slaves joined with Indians, but more (3,000 by the 1850's) made their way to Mexico.
Texans glorified their war for independence. They emphasized the values of "Texan culture" with
traits such as resiliency, self-reliance, courage, and faith in the promise of the future. Sometimes
undisciplined individualism led to a general lawlessness. In the 1830's and 1840's, a violent feud
over land titles between "Regulators" and "Moderators" erupted in East Texas. President
Houston sent in the militia to suppress the lawlessness. Nevertheless, most Texans were lawabiding folks.
Indians: In the mid-1800's, the Karankawas were forced to near extinction from white intrusion on
their land, disease, and alcoholism. The Caddos moved to land along the Brazos River. After
being defeated in the Battle of Neches (1839), the Cherokees retreated across the Red River.
Using "strike and pursue" tactics, Texas Ranger companies began to have success in combating
the Comanches. Negotiations at the Council House in San Antonio (1840) resulted in conflict.
Whites attacked the Indian representatives and the Comanches responded with attacks on East
Texas. After Texans had considerable success in raids on the Indians, a peace treaty was
negotiated in 1844.
Texas Mexicans (Tejanos) found themselves caught between two worlds. 1) Numerical
disadvantage; 2) business conducted in a different language; 3) new form of politics; 4)
confronted wrath of whites; 5) increasing numbers of Anglos moved into the San Antonio area.
Juan Seguin, who served as mayor in 1841-42, protested harassment of Tejanos. Angry Anglos
forced Seguin to seek refuge in Mexico.
Although Anglo Texans had complained about Mexico's failure to provide adequate educational
opportunities, they failed to remedy the situation when independent. Education remained almost
entirely in private hands.
The literature of the republic was largely in the oral tradition of common folk.
The Houston Telegraph and Texas Register was the most important newspaper during the
Republic era.
Travel depended on waterways and crude roads. Generally, transportation remained primitive,
slow, and hazardous.
Recognition
Texas's European ambassadors sought recognition for the Republic. England's desire to
maintain good relations with Mexico and abolitionist sentiment kept that nation from granting
recognition. France became the first European nation to recognize Texas (1839). The Dutch
followed in 1840.
Mexico refused to honor the Treaties of Velasco. The government plotted with discontented
Tejanos to undermine the Republic. Lamar offered to buy the disputed region between the
Nueces River and the Rio Grande, but also prepared to expand the Republic. Assuming wrongly
that the residents of New Mexico would welcome an opportunity to join the Republic of Texas,
Lamar ordered the disasterous1841 Santa Fe Expedition.
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Lamar’s motivations for the Santa Fe Expedition
1.
2.
3.
Increased trade
Control the middle of the continent
Base for expansion to California
In 1842, Santa Anna, Mexico's president, ordered the invasion of Texas to assert Mexico's claim
to the disputed borderlands. First under General Rafael Vasquez and then under General Adrian
Woll the Mexicans occupied San Antonio. Houston ordered a Texas volunteer force to defend
the Rio Grande border. Some Texans carried out an independent invasion of Mexico. Mexicans
captured 260 men in this "Mier Expedition." When Texans attempted to escape, Mexicans force
them to draw lots to determine which of their number would be executed.
Annexation debate in the United States
Pro-annexation
1.
2.
Fear of British influence
Manifest Destiny
Anti-annexation
1.
2.
Abolitionists
Fear of war with Mexico
Provisions of annexation
1.
2.
Annexed as single state, but five states could be created
Retained title to the public lands
Annexation’s benefits for the USA
1.
2.
3.
Neutralize British influence
Fulfilled Manifest Destiny
Opportunity for land in Texas
Benefits for Texas
1.
2.
Relief from public debt
Military security
The war began when United States forces occupied the disputed territory near Brownsville. In
the resulting skirmish (April 25, 1846), sixteen Americans died.
Historiographical debate on the causes of the Mexican War
1.
Traditionally Americans blamed Mexican belligerency and irrationality for causing the
war.
2.
Traditionally Mexican and American abolitionists argued that President James Polk
provoked the conflict in order to take Texas and California from Mexico.
3.
More recent Mexican arguments claim
a.
b.
national preservation forced Mexico to fight.
Mexican politics required leaders to resist the American expansion.
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Revisionist American historians argue that Polk hoped to annex all of Mexico's Far North,
but did not expect war.
The United States army gained control of northern Mexico and then successfully invaded Mexico
City. Due to their reputation for atrocities toward civilians, Mexicans referred to the Texas
Rangers as Los Diablos (the Texas Devils).
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Mexico recognized the United States’ annexation of Texas.
Mexico ceded California and New Mexico
United States paid Mexico $18,250,000.
Residents of California and New Mexico became citizens of the United States and their
property rights were assured.
Legacy of the Texas Republic
1.
2.
3.
4.
Transformation of Texas government
An Anglo-American population
City planning changed
Variety of cultural influences
a.
b.
c.
d.
5.
East Texas: Old South
North Texas: Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois
Central Texas: Old South and Europeans
South Texas: Tejano culture
Influence of American culture on occupations, leisure-time activities, architecture, and
dress
Legacies of the 15 years in the Mexican Republic
1.
2.
3.
4.
Laws
Empresario system
Financing education
Law enforcement and military strategies of law enforcement groups, such as the Texas
Rangers
What had not changed during the 12 years of the Texas Republic?
1.
2.
3.
4.
The economy had not improved dramatically.
Transportation had not improved.
Daily hardships continued
Class structure preserved