'How Texas Changed U.S. History Essay\r'

'The unite States of America is the world’s leading super power. Through the years, there ca-ca been many events that occurred which contri more thanovered to the kind of community it is at present. It is a country with a rich and extensive invoice behind it. One of the significant aspects in the annals of the joined States is the say of Texas. Texas played a authoritative role in the development of the demesne. This research physical composition aims to discuss how the independence of Texas and its membership and re-admittance to the Union changed the cut across of U. S. floor.\r\nTexas was originally set-aside(p) by Indians before the sixteenth century (â€Å"Timeline”). Numerous tribes of Native Americans resided in what is right off known as Texas, and they were the inhabitants before the place was detect by the Spaniards (Calvert & antiophthalmic factor; fearless 10). For more than than a century, Texas was low Spanish control, as it was considere d a filth of the Spanish Empire (Calvert & adenosine monophosphate; adventurous 1). The Spanish explorers basic arrived in Texas in 1519, and Alfonso Alvarez de Pineda was the first ace to explore the place and map the shoreline (Calvert & deoxyadenosine monophosphate; undismayed 10; â€Å"Timeline”).\r\n afterwards de Pineda, there were new(prenominal) Spanish expeditions and eventually, missions were sent in Texas (Calvert & adenine; intrepid 11). In February 18, 1685, Frenchman Robert Cavalier, Sieur de La Salle claimed Texas for France by setting up citadel St. Louis in Matagorda Bay (Calvert & angstrom unit; intrepid 11; â€Å"Timeline”). La Salle was soon killed, but the Spanish were menace by the actions of the French (Calvert & deoxyadenosine monophosphate; daring 11). As a result, the Spaniards eliminated the French port and established more missions. In growth, Spanish towns were built in Texas, such(prenominal) as San Antonio, Goliad and Nacogdo ches (Calvert & intrepid 11; â€Å"Timeline”).\r\nHowever, the nineteenth century ushered in a time of struggle for Spain, as it began to lose its power over Texas collectable to the expeditions of Americans (Calvert & Doughty 11). In 1810, a assemblage led by Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla attempt to free Mexico from Spanish authority. The plan failed, but it caused uneasiness in Texas and Mexico. In 1813, Mexican Bernardo Gutierrez and American Augustus Magee occupied three Spanish towns in an effort to lean the Spanish authority in Texas (Calvert & Doughty 11; â€Å"Timeline”). They failed.\r\nSpain soon realized that the Spanish settlements in Texas were non enough to secure it from the threat of other countries (Calvert & Doughty 11). The Spanish authorities mentation that an annex in population was needed. American Moses capital of Texas asked permission from the Spaniards in Mexico to be allowed to stay in Texas; this request was cont inued by his son Stephen later on his death. In 1821, Mexico became independent from Spain, and Texas became a part of Mexico (Calvert & Doughty 11; Perry 505). The Mexican political relation agree to Austin’s plea, and they had begun to let foreigners settle in Texas.\r\nIn 1836, 50,000 people had resided in Texas; 20,000 of which were from the United States (Calvert & Doughty 11; Perry 505). Most of the Americans in Texas were like wool planters, and went there because of land opportunities (Perry 505). Moreover, these people brought slaves with them to help them with cotton plant cultivation (Calvert & Doughty 11). However, Mexico met slavery with opposition, as the country abolished it in 1824 (Calvert & Doughty 11; Perry 505). The Mexicans soon realized that they were being outnumbered, so they resorted to efforts that would maintain the number of Americans in Texan soil (Perry 505).\r\nThe Mexican authorities stopped immigration from the United Stat es and verboten arrival of slaves (Calvert & Doughty 11; Perry 505; â€Å"Timeline”). This go bad angered the Texans, but the tension continued to increase with the dictatorship of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (Calvert & Doughty 11; Perry 505). The discontent of the people increased with the imposed custom duties collection (â€Å"Revolution”). In an effort to crap their independence, the Texans started the revolution on October 2, 1835 (â€Å"Revolution”;â€Å"Timeline”). The revolution began in Gonzales, Texas (Calvert & Doughty 11; â€Å"Revolution”; â€Å"Timeline”).\r\nTexans repulsed the Mexican soldiers in Gonzales, and emerged victorious in the first bout in the struggle for independence (Calvert & Doughty 11; â€Å"Revolution”). The succeeding battles were as well won by the Texan forces (Calvert & Doughty 11). In November 3, 1835, there was a convention in which a provisional government, base d on a document called the Organic Law, was set up by the Americans in Texas (Calvert & Doughty 11; â€Å"Timeline”). During the verbalize convention, the Texans held an election for gubernatorial and council positions.\r\nOn march 2, 1836, American Texans declared their independence from Mexico and established a piece which allowed slavery; David Burnet was the provisional president while surface-to-air missile Houston was the Texas troops’ commander in chief (Calvert & Doughty 11; â€Å"Timeline”). Then there was the meshing of the Alamo. The Alamo is actually church originally known as the Mision San Antonio de Valero (â€Å"Alamo”). It was used by the Texan forces as a fort. Unfortunately, the Texan forces were defeated by the Mexican troops, under the leadership of Santa Anna.\r\nHowever, Santa Anna was not victorious for long; in April 21, 1836, he was captured by Houston and his forces at the Battle of San Jacinto (Calvert & Doughty 11; â€Å"Revolution”;â€Å"Timeline”). After struggleds, Santa Anna signed a treaty recognizing Texan independence (Perry 505). Texas became a nation (â€Å"Revolution”). In 1845, the Congress of the United States pushed to annex, or make the Republic of Texas a part of the United States (Perry 505). U. S. President James Polk signed a throwaway that make Texas the 28th U. S. state on declination 29, 1845 (Calvert & Doughty 12; â€Å"Timeline”).\r\nOn April 25, 1846, the Mexican-American war begun over the disagreement on the boundaries of Texas (â€Å"Timeline”). Mexico claimed that Nueces River was the boundary of Texas; Texans, on the other hand, insisted that Rio Grande was the boundary (Perry 505). The Mexicans were defeated; as a result, the United States acquired more than half of Mexican territories, including bran-new Mexico and California (Perry 505). The independence of Texas was pertinent in United States history. This is beca use it was the event that paved the way for the United States to accomplish territories that would eventually be a part of it.\r\nThe addition of states did shape U. S. history, as all these territories contribute to the everyday legacy of the nation. Without the new territories, the development and growth of the nation would not be the same, simply because certain elements would be excluded. As a member of the Union, Texas alike turn out relevant in shaping U. S. history. Texas did sliver from the Union, but its participation in the American civilized state of war was still crucial in the nation’s development. The American polite War came about as a result of Abraham Lincoln’s mastery at the 1860 presidential elections (Perry 507).\r\nLincoln was a republican, and the Republican Party was created with the objective of abolishing slavery. The Southern states, including Texas, who were in elevate of slavery decided to secede from the Union. These said states f orm the Confederate States of America. Texas seceded from the Union on February 1, 1861 (â€Å"Timeline”). At that time, surface-to-air missile Houston was a governor, and he opposed that decision to secede as he was a Unionist (Calvert & Doughty 12). However, he was outnumbered by pro-secession delegates at the onanism Convention (â€Å"Timeline”).\r\nOn May 13, 1865, the last battle of the Civil War was fought in Texas (Calvert & Doughty 12; â€Å"Timeline”). The Battle of Palmito Ranch occurred close to Brownsville, more than a month after General Robert lee(prenominal) of the Confederate Army surrendered at Appomatox, Virginia. On March 30, 1870, Texas was readmitted to the Union by U. S. Congress (â€Å"Timeline”). After the Civil War, Texas had several other contributions that did affect U. S. history. First, Texas helped the national government defeat the Native Americans (Calvert & Doughty 12).\r\nFrom the Civil War until the Recons truction, the western verge was poorly quiet; the Native Americans twainered the residents, which were prompted to leave their homes. The U. S. government realized this problem and sent out federal troops to address the issue. These troops were helped by the Texas Rangers. The Texas Rangers started as a group of volunteers that helped curb Indian attacks (Connor 135). Eventually when Texas became a republic, they became an official, full-time corps that was employed to protect the frontier.\r\nAfter the battles mingled with the Native Americans were over, they became agents of law enforcement in the state (Connor 135). The state of Texas also contributed to post-war animal industry with oxen (Calvert & Doughty 12). Except for hides and tallow, cattle were initially invaluable as the markets were too far. However, with the establishment of railroads, Texan cattle were able to reach more consumers (Calvert & Doughty 12). N angiotensin converting enzymetheless, it was the c otton from Texas that exerted more economic work on in the U. S. (Calvert & Doughty 12).\r\nAs the railroads progressed in the West, there was enough land for the growth of cotton. The cotton grown in Texas eventually reached the world market. As a result, Texas became a major cotton producer in the U. S. by the year 1890 (Calvert & Doughty 12). Texas again participated in U. S. history in the 1890s, which mark an era of racial discrimination (Calvert & Doughty 12). Texas was one of the states that were characterized by much tension between the whites and the blacks and Hispanics. It all began in 1896 when the Supreme Court upheld that requisition did not infringe the 14th Amendment.\r\nHence, Texas passed legislatures that encouraged and promoted sequestration of whites and blacks in the community (Calvert & Doughty 12). Texas was also responsible for the Prohibition (Calvert & Doughty 12). thither was a time when progressivism was rampant in Texas, and one of its most notable ideas was to forbid the sale of alcohol. The Texan progressives thought that selling alcohol was detrimental to a democratic society and its consumption was evil. In 1887, Prohibitionists relentlessly campaigned to ban alcohol. When it was thought that alcohol impeded the U. S.\r\nefforts in World War I, a law was passed in 1918 to prohibit the sale of alcohol beverages in Texas. In January 1920, the 18th Amendment, which prohibits the sale of alcohol in the consummate country, was included in the U. S. Constitution (Calvert & Doughty 12). After the American Civil War, Texas turn up relevant in the history of the United States. Along with the federal troops, the Texas Rangers participated in resolving the Native American conflict. Without the rangers, the enterprisingness would induce been more difficult; the task was made easy by the fact that the rangers have been the guarding the frontier for a long time.\r\nTexas also contributed to the U. S. economy by means of its cattle and cotton industries. Segregation also occurred in Texas, an occurrence that would later cause the Civil Rights thrust to arise. Lastly, the Texan prohibitionists were responsible for the passing of the 18th Amendment. If Texas had not been readmitted to the Union, some of the aforementioned events may have neer occurred, drastically altering the course of U. S. history. From its independence to its readmission into the Union, Texas proved to be an important player in the history of the United States.\r\nIts independence brought the United States the territories it has at present. Its readmission brought both social and economic reform that would not have possible if the state remained in its seceded state. If one would move out Texas from the history of the United States, it would not be the nation it is now.\r\nWorks Cited\r\nCalvert, Robert A. , and Robin W. Doughty. â€Å"Texas. ” Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 2007. Microsoft Corporat ion. 10 April 2008 <http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_761568357_14/Texas. html#howtocite>. Connor, Seymour V.â€Å"Texas Rangers. ” Lexicon commonplace Encyclopedia. 21 vols. New York: Lexicon Publications, Inc. , 1992. Perry, Marvin. A History of the World. mommy: Houghton Mifflin, 1989. â€Å"Texas History Timeline. ” solitary Star Junction. 1997. 10 April 2008 <http://www. lsjunction. com/events/events. htm>. â€Å"Texas Revolution. ” Lone Star Internet. 2 Feb. 2007. 10 April 2008 <http://www. lone-star. net/ eye/texasinfo/txrevolution. htm#top>. â€Å"The Battle of the Alamo. ” The Alamo Site. 2007. 10 April 2008 <http://www. thealamofilm. com/battle-of-the-alamo. shtml>.\r\n'