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Events and People Leading to
Texas Annexation
2 Column Notes
Anson Jones
Anson Jones became
president of Texas in
1844. He took over
Texas after Sam
Houston’s 2nd term
and continued to try
to get Texas out of
debt. His most
important goal during
his time in office was
to help Texas become
annexed (become
part of) the United
States.
John Tyler
John Tyler was president
of the United States from
1841-1845. He and other
Americans feared that
Great Britain was gaining
too much influence in
Texas and they began
working toward the
annexation of Texas. In
1844 Tyler sent an
annexation treaty to the
U.S. Congress for
approval.
First Annexation
Treaty of Texas to the
U.S.
Under this treaty, Texas
would become a U.S.
territory—the first step
toward becoming a
state. The terms of the
treaty said that:
1.The U.S. would pay
Texas’ large debt.
2.Texas would give all its
public lands to the U.S.
(federal) government.
NO
TO
TEXAS
The issue of annexing
Texas was not popular
with everyone in the U.S.
People were concerned
that:
1. It might start a war
with Mexico.
2. It would bring
another slave state
into the U.S. and
unbalance Congress.
The treaty was
defeated.
Manifest Destiny
& Jane Cazneau
Manifest Destiny
was the belief held
by many
Americans that the
U.S. was meant to
expand across
North America.
Many Americans came to
believe that it was the
nation’s manifest destiny
to annex Texas.
Jane Cazneau was a
newspaper columnist who
wrote about Texas
becoming a part of the
U.S. and she helped to
turn public opinion in favor
of annexation.
US Presidential
Election of 1844
The annexation of Texas
and manifest destiny
became important issues in
the U.S. presidential
election of 1844. The
Democratic Party
nominated James K. Polk as
their candidate. Polk
wanted to annex Texas and
expand the U.S. to the west.
When he was elected, most
Americans believed it was
time to annex Texas.
Joint Resolution
to Annex Texas
While Tyler was still
president of the U.S. he
asked that both houses
of Congress pass a joint
resolution-a formal
expression of intent-for
annexation. A joint
resolution requires only a
simple majority to pass.
A joint resolution is not as
hard to pass as a treaty.
Joint Resolution
to Annex Texas
The terms of the joint
resolution were more
favorable to Texas than the
treaty had been. They were:
1. Texas would enter as a
state.
2. Texans had to approve
annexation and write a
new constitution.
3. Texas could keep its
public lands but would
have to sell some to pay
its debt.
4. Texas had to turn its
public property, such as
military supplies, over to
the U.S. government.
Convention of
1845
Texas president Anson
Jones presented the
offer of annexation from
the U.S. to the Texas
Congress and called for
a Convention to debate
the issue. The delegates
quickly approved
annexation and began
to work on a new
constitution for Texas as
a state. Then it was put
to the people of Texas
for a vote.
Convention of
1845
Annexation to the U.S.
was approved by Texans
for the following reasons:
1. Most Texans were
originally from the U.S.
and many still had
families living there.
2. Texas and the U.S.
shared strong business
ties.
3. The U.S. would
provide military
protection and a
sound money system.
Texas Becomes
th
the 28 State!