History of Texas (1845–1860) facts for kids

In 1845, the Republic of Texas joined the United States of America. It became the 28th U.S. state. This caused arguments about borders between Texas and Mexico. Mexico had never agreed that Texas was independent. It still saw Texas as a part of its country. These arguments led to the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). After the war, Mexico gave up its claim on Texas. It also gave up other areas in what is now the southwestern United States.

Texas joined the U.S. as a state that allowed slavery. This caused problems between states that allowed slavery and those that did not. The Compromise of 1850 helped calm these tensions. Texas gave up some land to the U.S. government. This land became areas where slavery was not allowed. In return, Texas gained the city of El Paso.

Texas Joins the U.S.

The Republic of Texas was formed in 1836. This happened after it broke away from Mexico in the Texas Revolution. The next year, Texas asked the United States if it could become a state. The U.S. said no at first. It was worried about starting a war with Mexico. Mexico did not agree that Texas was independent.

In 1844, James K. Polk was elected U.S. president. He had promised to bring Texas into the U.S. Before he took office, the old president, John Tyler, started talks with Texas. On February 26, 1845, Congress approved Texas joining the U.S. This was just six days before Polk became president.

The Texas government agreed to join in July 1845. They also wrote a state constitution. In October, people in Texas voted to approve joining the U.S. and the new constitution. Texas officially became part of the United States on December 29, 1845.

War with Mexico (1846-1848)

When Texas joined the U.S., Mexico stopped talking to the United States. The law that brought Texas into the U.S. did not clearly say where the border was. Texas said its southern border was the Rio Grande river. But Mexico had always said the border was the Nueces River. This river is further north.

The United States sent John Slidell to talk with Mexico. He offered $25 million to set the Texas border at the Rio Grande. He also wanted to buy Mexico's areas of Alta California and Santa Fe de Nuevo México. People in Mexico did not want to sell any land. The army removed President José Joaquín de Herrera because he seemed willing to talk.

The United States moved its soldiers to the Rio Grande. On April 25, 1846, Mexican soldiers attacked an American patrol. This event was called the Thornton Affair. It happened between the Rio Grande and the Nueces rivers. Sixteen Americans were killed. On May 3, Mexican troops started attacking Fort Texas. This was a temporary American fort along the Rio Grande.

On May 8, Zachary Taylor led 2,500 U.S. soldiers to help the fort. Mexican troops stopped them. This led to the Battle of Palo Alto. Mexican troops moved back a short distance. The next day, the two sides fought hard in the Battle of Resaca de la Palma. U.S. soldiers captured the Mexican cannons. The Mexican soldiers then left.

The United States officially declared war on Mexico on May 13. Mexico declared war on the U.S. on July 7. During the war, the U.S. fought in two main areas. One was in Mexico, south of the Rio Grande. The other was in California. There was no more fighting in Texas itself.

The war ended on February 2, 1848. This happened when the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed. Mexico gave up its claims to Texas. The border was set at the Rio Grande.

The Compromise of 1850

After the war with Mexico, the United States grew bigger. This caused more arguments between states that allowed slavery and those that did not. They argued about how to keep things fair. Texas had joined the U.S. as a slave state. But Texas claimed land north of the 36°30' line. This line was set by the 1820 Missouri Compromise for slavery. If Texas were split into many states, those north of this line would become free states. After the war, Texas also tried to control much of New Mexico.

To stop some states from leaving the United States, Congress passed the Compromise of 1850. Texas gave up much of the western land it had claimed. In return, it received $10 million. This money helped Texas pay off its old debts.

Growing Texas: New Settlers

After the war, Texas grew very quickly. Many people moved to the state's cotton-growing areas. German immigrants started arriving in the early 1840s. They came because of problems in their home states. In 1842, German nobles formed the Adelsverein. They bought land in central Texas for German families to settle.

The Revolutions of 1848 also caused many Germans to move. These immigrants were called the "Forty-Eighters." Many were skilled workers and business people. Germans continued to arrive in large numbers until 1890.

The first Czech immigrants came to Texas on August 19, 1851. Jozef Šilar led them. The rich farmland of Central Texas attracted Czech immigrants. Early Czech settlements were in Austin, Fayette, Lavaca, and Washington counties. Czech-American communities were known for their strong community spirit. Social clubs were a big part of Czech-American life in Texas. By 1865, there were 700 Czech people. By 1940, there were over 60,000 Czech-Americans.

Texas farmers invested in growing cotton. They brought enslaved Black people to Texas from the very beginning. They set up cotton farms mostly in the eastern part of the state. Enslaved African Americans did the work on these farms. The central part of the state had more small farmers who grew food for themselves.

Conflicts with Native Americans

In the late 1850s, settlers kept moving west and north. By 1856, many had started settling in parts of the Comancheria. This was the traditional land of the Comanche people. The Comanche were angry about losing their hunting grounds. Several Comanche groups raided Texas settlers.

To stop the violence, the Texas Rangers worked with members of the Tonkawa tribe. The Tonkawa were old enemies of the Comanche. In 1858, they went on the Antelope Hills expedition. Federal law said that Native American tribes were safe in Indian Territory. This land was just north of Texas.

However, the Rangers went into Indian Territory. They attacked a Comanche village at the Battle of Little Robe Creek. This was the first time American forces had gone deep into Comanche land. They attacked villages without being stopped and made it home safely. This expedition used up all the money Texas had for defense that year. Because of this, the governor ended the Ranger force.