The

Republic of

Texas 1836-1845

Republic of

Texas: approximately

376, 163

sq. miles

Texas today: approximately

268, 601

sq. miles.

Who were the Presidents of the Republic of

Texas?

David G. Burnet

• Served only as the ad interim (temporary) president during the Texas Revolution in 1836.

Sam Houston

• 1836-1838 (1st popularly

elected president of Texas)

• Texas debt was

$1.25- 2 million

• Dismissed most of the

Texas Army due to high

financial cost

• Put tariffs on goods as a

way to raise money

Sam Houston

• Replaced Army with Texas

Rangers as a defensive

force

• Wanted Texas annexation

to the U.S.

• Couldn’t run for re-election

• Texas Constitution= NO

consecutive terms

• Chose Houston for the

Republic’s capital

Houston 1837-1839

Location: Corner of Main St. & Texas Ave.

Same Location: Modern day

Post Rice Lofts

Republic of Texas Capitol building

• Summer 1838

• Nacogdoches had a large

population of Tejanos

• Many Anglos move to East

Texas after Revolution

• Vicente Cordova (loyal to Mexico) forms

alliance with Cherokee Indians to rebel

against Texas

• Sam Houston tries to calm the situation

• Texas army/ Rangers stops rebellion

• Impact: A distrust of Tejanos & Indians in

Texas

4 Candidates

Peter Grayson

James Collingsworth

Robert Wilson

Mirabeau B. Lamar

Committed suicide before election day

Got drunk & drowned in Galveston Bay

before election day

Won:…. 6,995 to 252

Mirabeau B. Lamar

• 1838-1841 (2nd

elected

President)

• Didn’t want Texas to be

annexed

• Increased TX debt from

$3.3 million to $8 million

• Involved in establishing

education system “Father

of Education in Texas”

• Chose Austin as the site of

the capital

• Did not trust or like Indians

• After the Cordova Rebellion- Lamar

wanted the Cherokees out of Texas

• Cherokees refuse to leave

• Sends soldiers to make them leave.

Kill about 100 including Sam

Houston’s friend Chief Bowles

Council House Fight • March 19, 1840

• Comanche agreed release all

Anglo captives in San Antonio

• Returned a girl- Matilda Lockhart

(all messed up)

• Matilda told of other captives

• Texans attempt to hold Comanche

leaders hostage until they bring all

captives

• Fighting starts- 7 Texans & 35

Comanche are killed

• After the fight the Comanche kill

many of their captives and make

raids on Anglo settlements

Mary Maverick • Early settler in Texas

• Recorded many of the important events of Texas in her diary

• Worked hard to make sure the history of Texas was preserved

Primary Source

Texas Navy • Lamar funds Texas Navy

• Edwin Moore commands the entire Texas Navy (Commodore)

• Won many battles in the Gulf of Mexico

• Very costly; Sam Houston tried to sell most of the ships during his second term

Jose Antonio Navarro Signer of the Texas

Declaration of Independence

Served in the Republic’s Congress & worked for Tejano rights

Served as San Antonio’s Representative in the Texas Congress

Wanted Texas to be annexed by the U.S.

• Cherokee Chief

• Made land treaties with

the Republic of Texas

• Close friend of Sam

Houston

• Killed when Lamar

ordered Cherokee

out of Texas & into

Oklahoma

Republic of Texas Currency

Debt is a huge problem for

the new Republic

(Red backs)

Santa Fe Expedition

• Texas claimed the Rio Grande as the border

• This included half of New Mexico

• Lamar sent soldiers to enforce this claim

• Texans were captured by Mexican soldiers

• Imprisoned in Mexico City – later released

• Expedition is a failure

Expedition traveled over 1,000 miles

& took about 3 months

What impact will the Santa Fe Expedition have on Lamar’s

Presidency?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Texas Rangers

Established to protect Texans

from Indian & Mexican attacks

Had to provide their own

horses & equipment & had to

live off the land (food)

Payment- $25.00-$30.00 a

month & land grants

John ‘Jack’ Coffee Hayes

Best known (famous) Texas

Ranger

Leader among the Rangers

Paid $150 a month

Houston & Lamar had different ideas about…

Native Americans

Debt & Spending

Annexation

Education

Who do you think is more popular with Texans at the

time?

Native Americans:

Loved them

Debt & Spending:

Tried to decrease debt

Annexation:

Wanted Texas to be annexed.

Education:

Did nothing to establish an education system in TX.

Native Americans:

Hated them

Debt & Spending:

Increased debt through government spending.

Annexation:

Didn’t want Texas annexed.

Education:

Strong efforts to establish

education system in TX. “The Father of Education.”

Houston Lamar

Lamar/Houston

Who would you

have voted

for?

Sam Houston

• 1841-1844 (3rd elected

President)

• Tried to decrease

Texas debt

• Wanted peaceful

American Indian

policies

• Wanted Texas to

be annexed to the

U.S.

Texas

still had conflicts with

Mexico.

Mier Expedition Mexicans attack San Antonio Sept. 1842

Texans attack Mexicans at Salado Creek. Mexicans retreat & take someTexan prisoners

President Houston orders General Somervell & a Texas militia to Rio Grande to recapture the prisoners. = Not enough troops to defeat the Mexicans.

300 men disobey & invade at the small town of Mier,

Mexico = need supplies. 3,000 Mexican soldiers are there waiting.

A battle occurs ending in Texan surrender. March Texans back to Mexico City. 176 make it. Santa Anna orders every 10th prisoner shot.

If they drew a…

They Lived They Died

The Texas prisoners were

lined up & forced to draw

a bean from a jar.

Some of the others were later pardoned, escaped

or released. Eventually there was peace between Mexico &

Texas

British & U.S. diplomats

urged Mexico to release

prisoners.

Compare & Contrast -Compare & Contrast these 2 expeditions (using notes)

-3 points of information in each

Anson Jones 1844-1845

4th and last president of the Republic of Texas

Successfully got Texas annexed into the U.S.

December 29, 1845 Texas is annexed into the U.S. becoming the 28th State of the United States

Writing Assignment

•Who do you think the best president for the Republic of Texas was?

–Use at least 8 facts that you have learned to support your argument.

–Underline these facts.