The Lone Star Republic

1. The Lone Star Republic Sam Houston and Mirabeau B. Lamar’s Government p. 270 - 279

2. Answer: Texas was unable to pay back money it owed to other countries and could not pay their own military and government workers.Houston Forms a Government • Texas elected Sam Houston as the first president and Mirabeau B. Lamar as Vice President. • Lamar is elected 2nd president of Texas in 1838 • Stephen Austin became secretary of state, but only for a few weeks because he died of pneumonia on December 27, 1836 at age 43. Question: Who was the first president of the Republic of Texas?

3. Answer: Sam HoustonThe United States Delays Annexation • Sam Houston and most Texans wanted to join the United States for protection. • Mexico refused to recognize Texas’s independence and the U.S. did not want to annex Texas if it meant damaging relations with Mexico. • Slavery was another problem; antislavery groups in the U.S. were against the annexation of Texas because it would tip the balance of U.S. Senate towards the slave states. • Lamaropposed annexation to the U.S. because he believed that one day Texas would be a powerful, independent nation that would extend all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Question: Why did the United States refuse to annex Texas ?

4. Answer: The United States did not want to upset the balance between free and slave-holding states and did not want to damage relations with Mexico.1q Recognition as a Nation • The U.S. did not officially recognize Texas as a nation for several months. • On March 3, 1837, U.S. President Jackson granted official recognition of Texas. • France and Great Britain hesitated because they did not want to offend Mexico and figured Texas would soon be annexed by the United States. • Finally France, Great Britain and the Netherlands recognized Texaswhich meant the countries could set up trade agreements. • Houston hoped this would make the U.S. annex Texas quickly. Question: Why was it important for France, Great Britain and other countries to recognize Texas as an independent country?g

5. Answer: So that Texas could set up economic trade (supplies) and political agreements (protection) with other countries. Houston - Native American Conflict • More Native American raids began as more Anglo Americans settled in central Texas. • In one attack, Comanche and Kiowa killed several settlers and kidnapped two women and several children, including Cynthia Ann Parker. • The raids decreased when Houston called on the Texas Rangers, who began patrolling central Texas. Question: How did Sam Houston deal with the Native American raids in central Texas?

6. Answer: He placed the Texas Rangers in Central Texas to patrol and help prevent Native American Raids.Lamar - Native American Conflict • Years later, Lamar reversed Sam Houston’s policy toward Native Americans. • Lamar believed the Cherokees had no fair claim to the Texas lands they occupied. He had also heard the Mexicans were attempting to stir up the Cherokees against Texas. • In the summer of 1839, President Lamar ordered the removal of the Cherokees from Texas. Question: How did Mirabeau B. Lamar deal with the Native Americans when he became president?

7. Answer – He kicked all of the Native Americans out of Texas and across the Red River (into Oklahoma). Lamar - Raids Lead To Council House Fight • After a series of battles with Texans along the upper Colorado River, the Comanche's agreed to meet with Texan authorities. • The Comanche's had promised to bring their Anglo captives, but they reduced only one, a girl named Matilda Lockhart. • Angry Texan troops attempted to take the Comanche negotiators as hostages until they freed their captives. • The Comanche's resisted, and in the struggle, known as the Council House Fight, 7 Texans and 35 Comanche's died. • The Comanche's killed many of their white captives and set out to avenge the Comanche deaths. • Because of the fight, Comanche's refused to make treaties with Texans. Question: Explain the significance of the Council House Fight.

8. Answer: Native Americans no longer trusted Mirabeau B. Lamar and refused to make any more treaties with Texas.Texas Navy • Lamar thought that having a strong military would force Mexico to recognize the Republic of Texas so he ordered the newly restored navy into Mexican waters. • Lamar hoped that the Mexican government would recognize Texas in exchange for the promise that the Texan navy would not harass Mexican ships. • When Sam Houston regained the presidency in 1841, he recalled the navy. Question: Why did Lamar choose to “bulk up” (make stronger) the Texas Navy?

9. Answer: He believed it would make Texas look stronger and thought he could “bully” Mexico into recognizing Texas independence.Lamar - The Santa Fe Expedition • Although the Nueces River traditionally had been the boundary between Texas and Mexico, Texans claimed the Rio Grande as the border after the revolution. • Texans were interested in controlling Santa Fe, the trading center on the upper Rio Grande. Santa Fe was the destination of traders from St. Louis, Missouri. • Lamar sent an expedition to Santa Fe to control the region and open trade with New Mexico. Question: Why was Texas interested in Santa Fe?

10. Answer:: To take control of the trading center there (mall) and set up trade with the nearby Native Americans in New Mexico.Lamar - The Santa Fe Expedition • As the expedition neared Santa Fe, the members encountered a Mexican army detachment that forced the Texans to surrender and marched more than 1,000 miles to Mexico City. • Many died on the way and others perished in a Mexican prison. • Most of those who survived were released in April 1842, after British and American diplomats worked for their release. • The Santa Fe expedition was a failure in many ways • It angered the Mexicans • Resulted in the loss of many lives • Failed to take control of Santa Fe Question: What is the significance of the Santa Fe Expedition?

11. Answer: Lamar lost soldiers, failed to accomplish his goal, and ultimately only angered Mexico more.Texas Debt Soars • Texas had unpaid bills for the supplies and equipment of the revolution. • When Houston became president, the debt was 1.25 million. • By the end of Houston’s first term as president, the public debt of Texas had climbed to 2 million. • Lamar was extravagant in many matters, such as outfitting expeditions, Native American fights, and reorganizing the Texas navy. • He failed in attempts to borrow money from the United States and European nations. • By the end of Lamar’s term, the public debt rose to $7 million. A paper dollar in Texas was worth about 15 cents in the U.S. Question: How did debt (money owed) affect the Republic of Texas?

12. Cause-Effect StatementsUse your notes to properly match the cause-effect statements: • Because Texas was a slave-holding state… • Because of Texas debt… • Because of threat of Mexican invasion… • Because he believed Texas would one day be a large and strong country… • Because of the Native American threat in Texas • …abolitionists did not want Texas annexed. • … Houston called the Texas Rangers to patrol central Texas. • … Lamar did not want Texas annexation. • … Texas requested protection from the U.S. • … Texas sold land to the U.S. when annexed.