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Texas History

  • Mexico Won Independence from Spain

    Mexico Won Independence from Spain
    The Spanish signed a treaty recognizing Mexico's independence. Spain gave Moses Austin permission to bring American families to Texas. Moses Austin's son, Stephen, renegotiated the settlements and land grant by the Mexican government. These settlers were known as the Old Three Hundred.
  • Colonization Law of 1825

    Colonization Law of 1825
    The Mexican Congress passed colonization laws that required settlers to practice Christianity and take oaths of loyalty towards the Mexican and state constitutions, so that they could become citizens. Anglo Americans were motivated by Mexico to settle in Texas, so that ranching and trading would expand. Mexico also wanted them to defend against American Indians and European forces.
  • Mexico Banned United States Immigration

    Mexico Banned United States Immigration
    Mexico banned immigration from the United States because they were afraid to lose control of Texas. They stimulated immigration from Mexico and European countries. They also put more limitations on slavery and added more military members in the area. This action led to enraged Texans, who wanted self-government.
  • Santa Anna Became President of Mexico

    Santa Anna Became President of Mexico
    General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna led a triumphant revolt against President Bustamante. Texans agreed with this evolution at first because of Santa Anna's support for the Constitution of 1824. This was similar to the U.S. Constitution. Santa Anna invalidated the 1824 Constitution in admiration of a more centralized government and was no longer understanding of Texas self-government.
  • Fall of the Alamo

    Fall of the Alamo
    Santa Anna led an attack on the Alamo. Texas rebels fought a vicious battle against the Mexican army when they were under the order of William B. Travis and James Bowie. Fatalities were high on both sides, but Santa Anna’s army was victorious.
  • Austin Became Capital of Texas

    Austin Became Capital of Texas
    Mirabeau Lamar was the second president of Texas, so it was decided to move the capital to Austin. A lot of people in Congress thought that Houston was not close enough from the original Texas settlements. People examined land north of San Antonio between the Trinity and Colorado Rivers. Lamar set up an accreditation to start looking for possible locations for the new capital. They finally chose the town of Waterloo and revised the name to Austin to respect the legacy of Stephen F. Austin.
  • Beginning of the U.S.-Mexican War

    Beginning of the U.S.-Mexican War
    President Polk established the border between Texas and Mexico at the Rio Grande, but Mexico did not give consent. Peace collapsed. Polk told General Zachary Taylor to put troops along the north area of the Rio Grande to guard the Texas boundary. The Mexican government perceived this as an attack and so the Battle of Palo Alto began in Brownsville on May 8, 1846. This was the first major battle of the U.S.-Mexican War. War was officially declared by U.S. Congress on May 13.
  • Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

    Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
    The treaty created boundaries between the United States and Mexico. Mexico actually acknowledged Texas as a part of the United States. Furthermore, the treaty included the purchase of Mexico's northern territory—which included California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. This also included parts of Wyoming and Colorado and that was all for $15 million. The United States added more than 25% of its present day size, and Mexico lost over half its land as a consequence of the treaty.
  • The Red River War

    The Red River War
    U.S. Army started a course of action to take out all Comanche, Kiowa, Southern Cheyenne, and Arapaho from the southwest plains and move them to places in Indian Territory. This was guided by the Comanche Chief named Quanah Parker. The Indian tribes fought one last battle for their native lands. The U.S. Army, including all units of the Buffalo Soldiers, occupied the Indians in more than 20 battles from 1874 to 1875 in the Texas panhandle around the Red River.
  • New State Capitol

    New State Capitol
    Proposals were made for a new capitol building. These proposals were already being drawn up when the old building burned down in 1881. The new capitol was designed by Elijah E. Meyers, who had experience designing the 1871 Michigan capitol building. The opening ritual took place in May 1888, but the building was not finished until late November of that year with the position of the Goddess of Liberty at the top of the dome.