The Republic of Texas

The Republic of The Republic of TexasTexas

1836 - 18451836 - 1845

Chapter 11

Presidents of the Republic of Presidents of the Republic of TexasTexas

Sam Houston (1836 - 1838)

• 1st President of the Republic of Texas

Mirabeau B Lamar (1838 - 1841)

• 2nd President of the Republic of Texas

• Known as the “Father of Education in Texas”

Sam Houston (1841 -1844)

• 3rd President of the Republic of Texas

Dr Anson Jones (1844 - 1846)

• 4th and final President of the Republic of Texas

• President when Texas became a state of the United States

Sam Houston Sam Houston (1836 - 1838)(1836 - 1838)

• Problems Houston faced during his first term:

– Death of Stephen F Austin (Dec 27, 1836)

– Annexation– Relations with Mexico– Native Americans– Texas Military– Finances– The Texas Capital

AnnexationAnnexation• Most Texans

favored annexation to the United States

• Houston worked hard for annexation– United States said

NO because of the issue of slavery

Relations with MexicoRelations with Mexico• Mexico refused to recognize

Texas’s Independence• Houston tried to prevent a

new war by replacing the commander of the army, Felix Huston, with Albert Sidney Johnston– Huston refused to step down

and challenged Johnston to a duel where he shot him

• Houston solved the problem by sending all but 600 soldiers home to prevent further fighting

Native AmericansNative Americans

• Houston worked to maintain peace with Native Americans

• Sent Texas Rangers to protect settlers on the frontier

FinancesFinances

• Texas was in financial trouble– Spend less– Raise property taxes– More customs duties– Issue promissory notes

• Texas debt rose to $2 million

The Texas CapitalThe Texas Capital

• Sam Houston moved the Texas Capital from Columbia (too small) to a new town that would be named Houston

Mirabeau B LamarMirabeau B Lamar(1838 - 1841)(1838 - 1841)

• Lamar brings a different approach to these problems– Annexation– Relations with

Mexico– Native Americans– Finances– The Texas Capital– Education

AnnexationAnnexation• Lamar was against

annexation• He wanted Texas to

remain independent• He dreamed that

one day Texas would stretch all the way to the Pacific Ocean

Relations with MexicoRelations with Mexico• Lamar sent the new Texas

Navy to help Yucatecan rebels fight Mexico

• Lamar organized the Santa Fe Expedition – Army sent to convince New

Mexico that it was part of Texas

– Expedition ran out of supplies and surrendered to Mexican troops

– Prisoners taken to Mexico– The failure of the Santa Fe

Expedition ended Lamar’s dream of expanding Texas

Native AmericansNative Americans• Lamar wanted to kill or drive all

Native Americans out of Texas• Battle of the Neches: 100

Cherokees killed including Chief Bowles for not leaving their land

• Council House Fight: Comanche chiefs killed when they came to peace talks in San Antonio

• Battle of Plum Creek: 100 Comanches killed in ambush after a large raid on Anglo settlements

FinancesFinances

• Issued more promissory notes called “red backs”

• Offered land to families moving to Texas• Debt rose to almost $7 million

The Texas Capital

• Moved the capital to a new location on the Colorado River called Waterloo

• It would later be renamed Austin in honor of Stephen F Austin

EducationEducation

• Lamar is best known for his contributions to public education

• He sat aside land in each county for public schools

Sam Houston(1841 - 1844)

• Texas would again try to join the United States

• Houston would work to improve relations with Native Americans

• Houston would cut spending and sell the Texas Navy

New Problems with New Problems with MexicoMexico

• Mexico invaded Texas twice during 1842 capturing San Antonio each time

• Houston sent General Somervell to protect the border– Some troops disobeyed

orders and attacked Mexico; this was called the Mier Expedition

– The Texans were captured and some were executed in the Drawing of the Black Beans

The Texas CapitalThe Texas Capital• Sam Houston wanted to

move the capital back to Houston

• Angelina Eberly and the citizens of Austin wanted the capital to stay– In the Archives War

Austin residents shot at Houston’s men who came to take the state archives

– The capital stayed in Austin

Dr Anson JonesDr Anson Jones(1844 - 1846)(1844 - 1846)

• Jones followed most of Houston’s policies including pushing for annexation

• While Jones was president Texas was annexed by the United States through a joint resolution in Congress– Texas became the 28th

state