Would Secession Put The Texans In Danger Or Help Them Thrive?

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

Sam Houston played a monumental role in sparking the Texas revolution. He believed that independence from Mexico was necessary saying that “war inevitable” and “urging volunteers to come to the aid of their Anglo brethren” (p. 60). Also, Houston’s role as commander-in-chief of the army was very important in winning the war for Texas Independence. After the capture of Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto, many of the soldiers in the Texas Army wanted to execute him on the spot. But because of Sam Houston’s level head, he knew that “his prisoner was the key to removing all Mexicans soldiers from Texas without further bloodshed”, and “Jacinto became his password to Texas heroism forever” (p. 85-87). Furthermore, Houston’s leadership as the president of the Republic of Texas “kept the republic alive until it became a part of his mother country” (p. 198).

Yet another reason why Texans might have revolted was that they were trying to preserve and maintain the political values and economic gain while under the Constitution of 1824. It gave Texas a steady population flow of American migrants moving onto Texas soil. It also gave them political liberty, freedom to own slaves and a steady economic progression. But Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, president of Mexico, wished to impose a stricter rule which could also explain why Texas felt the need to separate from Mexico.

The issue of western expansion was an important topic in the middle of the 19th century, and with the admittance of new territories, there was the controversy on whether or not new western territories should be admitted to the Union as slave states or free states. Sam Houston was supportive of western expansion, but he was not supportive of the spreading of slavery. Houston’s opposition came to Congress in the form of a bill in 1854. The Kansas-Nebraska Act was proposed, and it repealed the Missouri Compromise, which put a ban on slavery above a line called the 36 °30 line. The Kansas-Nebraska Act applied a concept called “popular sovereignty”, which let the voters of each territory decide whether or not it would be admitted to the Union as a slave or a free state. Houston stood against his political party and voted against it, which outraged Southerners. Houston’s attitudes towards slavery may seem contradictory because he was, after all, a slave owner, but despite popular belief, he did not oppose the institution of slavery. Houston defended slavery as a necessity because the South

The annexation of Texas was a path that many Texans wanted. Nearly ninety percent of Texans wanted to become part of the United States. “People hadn’t come to Texas to become part of the British Empire; most were particularly incensed by the British insistence on emancipation of the slaves; responding to public sentiment, the Texas Senate demanded that President Houston give them a full accounting of his dealings with Great Britain”. Before annexation, The Republic of Texas was a sovereign nation that existed for nearly ten years. The annexation process was proposed by John Tyler. Unfortunately, President Martin Van Buren struck down the annexation of Texas out of fear that this would expand slave territory and ensue war with Mexico. The Treaty of Annexation, Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, Mexican-American War and Joint Resolution of Congress all impacted the annexation process.

In August 1859, the citizens of Texas elected Sam Houston as their governor. The result of this election placed the Unionists in control of the state, but in just eighteen months’ individual events or circumstances allowed the secessionists to regain power. Following the 1859 Gubernatorial election, the secessionists sought to restore political and social power in Texas over the Unionists. Texas’ one party system continued to support the other Southern states ideologically in dealing with slavery despite cultural and economic differences between the Upper and Lower South. Sam Houston’s continued popularity among Texas citizens temporarily outweighed his support for Unionist views, but the Southern Democratic propaganda machine eventually led to his defeat. Texas became the only state to bring a vote of secession to the people of the state and historians continue to debate the voting returns from the referendum on the Ordinance of Secession, 1861. The secession movement in Texas became a hotly debated topic as past, and present historians determined how the secessionists obtained enough power to overcome the Unionist-controlled government.

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

For fear of the northerns’’ and abolitionists, neither Jackson or Van Buren dared to push hard for annexation. Though the reasons for ending slavery were not their prime concern. If Texas was admitted into the union the new slave state would wreck the hard won balance of slave and free states in the Senate. Thus giving the south an advantage over the north. The abolitionists believed that this would eventually lead to the south pushing for laws inferior of their ways of life, being new slave laws, and disunion in the country.(Haley) Once Texas is annexed its territory could become as many as 11 new slave states with 22 new pro-slavery senators. This would be a political nightmare for the north’s anti-slavery politations.

Why did the annexation of Texas cause political, military, economic, cultural, and moral controversy in the United States?

The second reason Texas was justified was that the Texans had no voice in the Mexican government. The Decree of April 6, 1830, was a law

There exists one book that every scholar references during their studies on Texas secessionism, that is E. W. Winkler’s, edited book, Journal of the Secession Convention of Texas, 1861. Scholar’s mentioned within this paper references portions of this Journal when the information pertains to their subject matter of discussion. On the fiftieth anniversary of the secession of Texas the thirty-second legislature made an appropriation for the Library and Historical Commission to produce a book, containing the “Journal” that “appeared in the newspapers at the time the Convention was in secession.” Winkler’s historical book provides the day-to-day motions and resolutions conducted by convention members of the First Secession Convention that occurred between January 28 and February 4. He continues by adding the follow-on or Adjourned Session that occurred after the returns received by the committee following the February 23, 1861 secession referendum, where the citizens of Texas voted for or against secession – March 2 – 25. Winkler adds Appendixes that includes copies of address or communications made by committee members, legislatures, and the governor to the people of Texas. Also, it includes the reports of the Committee on Public Safety, the list of the delegates, and the certificates of election. Due to the extensive utilization by scholars as reference material, Winkler’s book becomes the foundation for this paper in its discussion on the secession movement in

Sam Houston supported the annexation with the United States, because he wanted to secure foreign recognition. Once foreign recognition became established, Houston would then be able to establish credit for foreign loans and legitimacy to sell its lands. Doing this would help Houston get the Republic of Texas out of debt. Mirabeau Lamar strayed from the idea because he wanted Texas to maintain its independence. Lamar wanted to expand the territory west, showing the power of the Republic of Texas to United States and Mexico, but such an expedition would only increase the debt of the

Texas had just won its independence when it decided to become a part of the United States. The annexation of Texas caused a

The annexation of Texas was an important event in the history of the United States of America. This event initially started with the Texas Revolution during 1835-1836. Texas separated from Mexico because American settlers and Tejanos didn’t want the laws of the Mexican government. One of these laws was the prohibition of slavery in the Mexico dictated by the Mexican constitution of 1824. Also, another disagreement was the combination of the provinces of Texas and Coahuila. Stephen Austin, founder of the principal settlements in Texas tried to negotiate with the Mexican government to separate Texas from Mexico, and leave the settles of Texas to establish self-government. Nevertheless, his attempt failed and he was thrown in prison. He was released

There are certain things that people are remembered for throughout one’s life. And there is that moment that helps define one’s character or that moment can overshadows one’s accomplishments. Sam Houston’s refusal to accept the articles of secession served as an example of what he thought was his personal responsibility not only to himself but that of Texas. With that one moment in history, people quickly forgot and ignored what Sam Houston had done for Texas and the United States.