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Texas declares independence from Mexico. Texas formally proclaimed independence in March of 1836, for a variety of reasons, including: the settlers were not Mexican, but Culturally American, the continuing problem of Slave Labor, the 1824 Constitution was repealed, Mexico City is in shambles, economic relations with the United States, and Texas was a part of the Coahuila y Texas state. On March 6, 1836, The Battle of the Alamo is over; about 1,600 Mexicans murder 189 Texans. -
The victory over Mexican army and capture of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna on the following day achieves de facto Texas Independence. The victory at San Jacinto freed Texas from Mexican rule and allowed the United States to continue its westward expansion. The Mexican-American War erupted after the United States seized Texas in 1845. -
The presidential election in the Republic of Texas in 1836 was the first in the newly formed republic. In a landslide win over Henry Smith and Stephen F. Austin, popular military hero Samuel Houston was chosen president of Texas on this day in history, September 5, 1836. On October 22, 1836, Houston was sworn in as president, succeeding temporary president David G. Houston. Before the Republic of Texas became a Confederate state, Samuel Houston was chosen its first president. -
The 1837 financial panic resulted in widespread unemployment, economic downturn, devaluation of cotton and paper money, as well as bank and financial collapses. The cheap availability of credit and widespread speculation, were to blame for the catastrophe. To prevent the crisis from spreading further, every bank in New York City began accepting payment exclusively in specie, "hard money," mainly in the form of gold and silver coins, resulting in a major deflationary response. -
The Battle of Saint-Denis, part of the Lower Canada Rebellion, was fought on November 23, 1837, in Lower Canada between British colonial authorities led by Lieutenant-Colonel Gore and Patriote rebels. The result of this battle led to Patriote victory, -
Some people of upper Canada and the United States of Irish origin or birth, as well as United States citizens who had relocated to Canada, were responsible for the "Patriot War." These "Patriots" intended to separate the peninsula between the Michigan and Niagara borders from Canada and join it to the United States. Their headquarters were in Michigan, and they were organized into "Hunters Lodges," which were secret organizations. The Patriot war was from January 1838- December 4,1838. -
The Battle of Blood River, also known as the Battle of Ncome River, was fought in South Africa on December 16, 1838, between the Zulus and the Voortrekker Boers. It was sparked by a dispute over property rights in Natal and the Zulu ruler Dingane's murder of Voortrekkers. As part of the Lower Canada Rebellion, the Battle of Saint-Denis was fought on November 23, 1837, between British colonial authorities led by Lieutenant-Colonel Gore and Patriote rebels in Lower Canada. -
The Texas Legislature approves a joint resolution supporting President Sam Houston's decision to rescind the proposed annexation. Texas was eventually accepted as a slave state to the US. The Mexican-American War was sparked by the annexation of Texas from 1846-1848. Part of the reason for the war was a debate over which river, the Nueces or the Rio Grande, constituted Mexico's real northern boundary. -
In March 1839, the site of Waterloo was acquired and dedicated in honor of Stephen F. Austin as the Republic of Texas's capital. The first city lands were up for sale on August 1, 1839. The Texas Congress convenes for the first time in November 1839 at Austin, the frontier town chosen as the Republic's capital. On December 27, 1839, the city was formally established. -
March 19, A dozen Comanche leaders meet with Texas gov. officials to discuss a peace deal. The Texans kidnap the chiefs after suspecting the Comanches of breaking a commitment to free all white detainees. 35 Comanches and 7 Texans are slain during the Council House battle that follows. Comanches began plundering their way through Central Texas at Hallettsville, in retribution for the Council House Fight. The Comanches are defeated by Texas Rangers & a volunteer army near Lockhart on August 11th. -
The Battle of Plum Creek, which took place near present-day Lockhart, put a stop to the Comanche's most daring and effective attack against the Texas Republic. The Council House Fight, in which many Comanche Indian chiefs, women, and warriors were slaughtered, set the stage for the Battle of Plum Creek. The Comanches stormed across the Guadalupe Valley in the summer of 1840, murdering settlers, stealing horses, looting, and setting fire to villages. -
Santa Anna was re-elected president of Mexico in 1841, reigniting the war with Texas. By this time, there was widespread support in the United States for the Texan cause. The two countries were still at war because the Mexican government refused to acknowledge Texas' independence. Houston also had to persuade other countries to acknowledge Texas as an independent country. -
In 1841, the Republic of Texas launched a commercial & military expedition to secure the Republic's claims to sections of northern New Mexico. The Santa Fe Expedition, led by Texans, went out for New Mexico. They were apprehended by Mexican soldiers at Sante Fe& marched 2000 kilometers to Mexico City jail. Navarro eluded capture & returned to Texas in time to serve as the sole Tejano delegate to the 1845 annexation conference. At least 60 Texans died in the trip, costing Texas a lot of money. -
A Mexican force led by Rafael Vasquez of over 500 soldiers invaded Texas. They stayed at San Antonio for a short time before returning to the Rio Grande. The Mexican army invaded Texas, capturing Goliad, Refugio, & Victoria. This sparked fear in San Antonio, and the Texas troops withdrew, leaving the city vulnerable to the Mexican army. The Republic Archives were ordered to be relocated to Houston by by President Houston on March 10, the people of Austin objected, culminating in the Archive War. -
The Somervell army, which numbered around 300 men, set off to resume their attacks into Mexico. The ill-fated Mier Expedition surrendered at Mier, Mexico, 10 days and 20 miles later. The Mier expedition, proceeded down the Rio Grande to a suitable encampment and chose William S. Fisher as their leader. Some desired vengeance and payback, while others sought adventure; virtually all of the commanders were political opponents of Sam Houston. On December 20, the expedition headed off. -
An attempt to flee by the kidnapped Texans while being marched from Mier to Mexico City culminated in the Mier Expedition's aftermath. At what will come to be known as the Black Bean Episode, seventeen men of the Mier Expedition, a relic of a failed incursion into Mexico, are killed in Salado, Mexico. Famous Texas Rangers Bigfoot Wallace and Samuel Walker were among the 17 Texans that perished. -
An expedition led by Jacob Snively is attempting to target Mexican merchants along the Santa Fe Trail as part of the continuing border war between Texas and Mexico, during the early years of the republic. Snively's soldiers return to Texas when the expedition is disbanded, and a group of Comanches stampede their horses southwest of the Arkansas River. One Texan and twelve Indians are slain. -
President Houston asks Texas Congress to consider annexation, then directs his minister to the United States to resume annexation discussions, in January of 1844. Texas and the US signed an annexation treaty on April 11, 1844. Under the provisions of the treaty, Texas would join the Union as a territory rather than a state. Texas' debt up to $10 million would be assumed by the US, and Texas' southern border with Mexico would be negotiated. June 8, 1844 the US Senate rejects the treaty, 35 to 16. -
The Benton Annexation Bill is tabled in the United States Senate. A treaty of annexation between the United States and Texas was rejected by the Senate in 1844. The vote of 16 to 34 fell well short of the legally needed two-thirds majority for approval. The opposition was led by Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton. Benton supported expansion, but believed that annexing Texas would exacerbate sectarianism and lead to the Union's disintegration. -
Since US President Polk followed through on a campaign platform promising to annex Texas & signed legislation, Texas was annexed by the US in 1845. The US Army quartered troops & kept supplies in the Alamo for many years afterward, it was also controlled by the Confederacy for a brief period during the Civil War. The Alamo remained a symbol of bravery, & American soldiers resurrected the "Remember the Alamo!" battle cry while battling Mexican forces during the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848. -
The US acquired Texas, making it the 28th state. Texas joined the Union as a slave-owning state, only to separate 15 years later as part of the Confederate States of America. The Confederacy seceded from the US shortly after Lincoln's election, allowing slavery people of African origin. The Mexican-American War was precipitated by the acquisition of Texas(1846-1848). Part of the reason for the war was a disagreement of which river served as Mexico's northern border: the Nueces or the Rio Grande.