Texas Book Report

Ever since the Manifest Destiny became the United States’ holy goal, Texas had always been in the sight of the United State, for the location and size of the territory were extremely attractive for the expansion. In addition, the state offered the Rio Grande River which promised great trade in the future. These factors made Texas a key component in fulfilling the sacred duty, so when news spread that Texas became independent, there was no time wasted from the United States in integrating them into the union. Even before Texas gained their independence, the United States had become intertwined with the culture of Texas by having hundreds of American citizens immigrating into the territory and spreading American values across the land. As many historians have said “Throughout the United States, especially in the South, support for Texas was warm and widespread. Men, money, and

“What happens in Texas doesn’t stay in Texas when it comes to textbooks,” said Dan Quinn, who worked as an editor of social studies textbooks before joining the Texas Freedom Network, which was founded by Governor Ann Richards’s daughter, Cecile, to counter the religious right.

Texas was fighting the Mexican army for their independence in 1835, which leads to fighting in the small fort called the Alamo. The Texans had been defeated at the Alamo, on April 23, 1836, for Texans, the Battle of the Alamo became a symbol of the resistance to oppression and their struggle for independence, which they won later that year. The 1915 movie The Alamo (The Birth of Texas) was the first movie to tell us what happened in the Battle of the Alamo but did a bad job in telling it. There was another film made in 2004 also called the Alamo which did a much better job than the original one in 1915. Both the 1915 and 2004 are good movies but have many scenes and information factually wrong.

Detra, I can relate with you as I am also not a Texan native or know much about Texas government and its history. When I hear about Texas first thoughts that comes to mind is either their love for their football team, bbq, or women’s big hair do’s. That’s what I related to “everything is bigger in Texas” with, however as I have read it also relates to their pride, their state size and their growing population. I also never understood why Texans are extremely proud people then again as I have been reading and as you have mentioned they have had an interesting history and have shown that they will fight for what they believe in no matter the cost.

Every Texan knows the legends of Stephen F. Austin that lead him to become the “Father of Texas.” Few Texas would try to say anyone else deserves this honor even though Texas is not short of larger than life legends. Such names include Lorenzo Zavala, Thomas Rusk, Juan Seguin, William Travis, James Bowie, and Sam Houston. Even “In his eulogy for Austin, Houston called him, "The Father of Texas"” (Areas of Interest). But despite this many would argue that Houston deserves the title.

This research assignment goes through the idea of Texas seceding from the United States. The introduction goes through a thorough explanation of the history of Texas and the many difficult challenges the territory had to face in becoming a state. The first idea implemented is how many times Texas has seceded and the reasons for seceding. The next follows information on why Texas would be better off seceding from the United States and why it should have stayed as a Republic. In contrast, the similar idea develops advantages and disadvantages of having Texas seceded from the Union. As a result, it then transitions into another idea, is Texas better off with staying with the United States after all. In that slide it also talks about how the Texas

First and foremost, Texas was not colonized by British settlers. This has always made it stand out as a fiercely independent territory then later a state. The individuals who shaped and formed Texas did so in such a way to hold tightly onto its fierce independence. This fierce independence was fueled throughout the first several decades of Texas existence due to invading foreign armies and the daily struggles of just surviving in the Wild West. Because of this, the people of Texas developed strong work ethics and a

After the United States won its freedom from Britain, there was another revolution occurring in the west, the Texas Revolution. Like the United States, Texas wanted its independence from Mexico, but was not going to transpire without a fight. “Remember the Alamo,” (1836) was a quote used by Texians following the Battle of the Alamo to inspire soldiers as they led their attack on the Mexican army at the Battle of San Jacinto. The Battle of the Alamo was a turning point during the Texas Revolution and forever will be remembered as so in Texas’ and the United States history (New World Encyclopedia).

If you’ve ever studied U.S. History the chances are you’ve heard the saying, “Remember the Alamo!” To a Texan those three simple words emphasize the strength, bravery, and commitment Texans have to defend their beliefs until the end. But what exactly is the Alamo? The Alamo was the first mission in the San Antonio region of Texas. The Alamo was originally called Mission San Antonio de Valero.

This image tells of the history of Texas. It tells of the hard-fought battles which lead to the rise of The Lone Star Republic in 1836, which was finally recognized by President Jackson in his last day in office in early 1837. A republic of only 40,000 people, which was thought by many to not hold its independence for very long.

Arkansas/Arkansaw: How Bear Hunters, Hillbillies, and Good Ol' Boys Defined a State. Brooks Blevins. Fayetteville, AR. 2009. 242 pages

The article "How Texas Inflicts Bad Textbooks on Us", written by Gail Collins, gives some of the reason why texas textbooks are full of biased and the reason why many of this textbooks should be revised in schools before using them. For example, extremenly rich people have been an influence in the way that books are written, putting I believe their own personal views and perspectives. The article gives references to James Leininger, as San Antonio physician promoted a campaign in 1994 by emailing "flyers to voters's homes in one district showing a black man kissing a white man and claiming that the democratic incumbent had voted for textbooks that promoted homosexuality". This was just an example of the many objections about the textbook materials, one of them was the concern that they were teaching children more

The state of Texas gained its independence on December 29, 1845 after six and a half enduring months of ceaseless brawls. The colonization of Texas first began with Stephen F. Austin, whom is also recognized as the Father of Texas. Stephen began the uprising for self-reliance against the Army of Mexico, led by Antonio López de Santa Anna, when he proposed opening up Texas to a swamp of immigrants. This action of his branched off throughout the years into countless battles for the Lonestar state to become individualistic. The first battle of the Revolution was the Battle of Gonzales, ending with only two casualties and the victory of the Texas soldiers. The Alamo is one of the most memorable engagements within this period of time, where the legendary cry, ‘’Remember the Alamo!’’ originated from. The Alamo still stands tall today and is visited by many each year, and represents the Texan soldier’s heroic opposition to injustice versus the government of Mexico. The Battle of San Jacinto was the shortest and final confrontation of the Texas Revolution. This resulted in a Texan victory, and an overall win for the Texian soldiers as they wash away Mexico with their statement of independence. The Texas Revolution was a conflict in the nineteenth century between the people of Texas and Mexican soldiers. This revolution led the the independence of the Lone Star state, and opened floodgates to numerous significant battles along the way. This rebellion included various engagements,

The recorded history of Texas begins with the arrival of the first Spanish conquistadors. Attracted by the rich lands for cotton, plantations, and ranching, tens of thousands of immigrants arrived from the U.S. In 1845, Texas joined the United States becoming the 28th state. Located in the south central part of the country. The language is dominated by English but Spanish is spoken there as well.

Texas has a style all its own. Whether you’re eating the incomparable Tex-Mex, buying high-fashion cowboy boots, or admiring a home built with dazzling Austin stone, you always recognize the Texas “style stamp” of approval. In much the same way, the music of Texas--played in Texas or played by Texans--has an unmistakable air of Texan authenticity. Also much like the visual arts, pinning down exactly what makes it unique to Texas takes some work. Like most musical genres, however, the Texas style has had various influences over time: Country--Because most of the folks who originally settled in Texas were from other Southern states, they naturally brought their country music with them.