The name "Texas" comes from "tejas", a Native American word meaning "friends" or "allies".
Shipwrecked Spanish conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca along with 79 others were the first known Europeans to set foot in Texas on November 6, 1528.
Only de Vaca, and three others survived the next eight years, during which they wandered through what is now the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. They eventually reached Mexico City in 1536 and upon returning to Spain, Cabeza de Vaca wrote of the expedition in his La Relación ("The Relation"), published in 1542 as the first written account of North America.
René-Robert Cavelier established Fort St. Louis at Matagorda Bay on February 20, 1685 thus forming the basis for France's claim to Texas.
In response, Spain set up a rival colony in 1691 by setting up a religious outpost in the eastern part of Texas.
Galveston, Texas was ruled by French pirates between 1816 and 1821.
When Mexico got independence from Spain in 1821, Texas became part of the country. After many American settlers came to Texas, Mexico started taxing non-citizens. This, plus the banning of all slavery in 1829 (many southerners saw slavery as a way of life back then), outraged many settlers.
On November 13, 1835 Texans officially proclaimed independence from Mexico, taking on the name the Lone Star Republic. Soon Texas and Mexico were at war.
Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna personally led an army to end the revolt. Santa Anna's forces, after a thirteen-day siege, massacred Texian defenders at the Battle of the Alamo. The news of the slaughter created panic among the Texas settlers.
The newly elected Texian delegates to the Convention of 1836 quickly signed a Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836 forming the Republic of Texas.
Only two of the 59 who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence, - Jose Francisco Ruiz and Jose Antonio Navarro - were native Texans.
Only one of the original five copies of the Texas Declaration of Independence remains; it was found at the U.S. State Department in 1896 and now resides in the Texas State Archives in Austin.
After several weeks of retreat, the Texian Army commanded by Sam Houston attacked and defeated Santa Anna's forces at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. Santa Anna was captured and forced to sign the Treaties of Velasco, ending the war.
Sam Houston was elected as the first president of the Republic of Texas on September 5, 1836. The city of Houston is named after him.
President Mirabeau B. Lamar signed a Bill making the current State of Texas flag, the flag of the Republic of Texas on January 25, 1839.
When the state of Texas was its own sovereign nation, it had its own embassy and ambassador in Paris.
The Republic of Texas lasted nine years, eleven months, and seventeen days before being incorporated into the United States in 1845.
HISTORY
Shipwrecked Spanish conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca along with 79 others were the first known Europeans to set foot in Texas on November 6, 1528.
Only de Vaca, and three others survived the next eight years, during which they wandered through what is now the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. They eventually reached Mexico City in 1536 and upon returning to Spain, Cabeza de Vaca wrote of the expedition in his La Relación ("The Relation"), published in 1542 as the first written account of North America.
In response, Spain set up a rival colony in 1691 by setting up a religious outpost in the eastern part of Texas.
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| A 1718 map of Texas by Guillaume de L'Isle. Approximate state area highlighted, |
Galveston, Texas was ruled by French pirates between 1816 and 1821.
When Mexico got independence from Spain in 1821, Texas became part of the country. After many American settlers came to Texas, Mexico started taxing non-citizens. This, plus the banning of all slavery in 1829 (many southerners saw slavery as a way of life back then), outraged many settlers.
On November 13, 1835 Texans officially proclaimed independence from Mexico, taking on the name the Lone Star Republic. Soon Texas and Mexico were at war.
Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna personally led an army to end the revolt. Santa Anna's forces, after a thirteen-day siege, massacred Texian defenders at the Battle of the Alamo. The news of the slaughter created panic among the Texas settlers.
The newly elected Texian delegates to the Convention of 1836 quickly signed a Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836 forming the Republic of Texas.
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| The Texas Declaration of Independence |
Only two of the 59 who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence, - Jose Francisco Ruiz and Jose Antonio Navarro - were native Texans.
Only one of the original five copies of the Texas Declaration of Independence remains; it was found at the U.S. State Department in 1896 and now resides in the Texas State Archives in Austin.
After several weeks of retreat, the Texian Army commanded by Sam Houston attacked and defeated Santa Anna's forces at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. Santa Anna was captured and forced to sign the Treaties of Velasco, ending the war.
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| The Battle of San Jacinto – 1895 painting by Henry Arthur McArdle |
Sam Houston was elected as the first president of the Republic of Texas on September 5, 1836. The city of Houston is named after him.
President Mirabeau B. Lamar signed a Bill making the current State of Texas flag, the flag of the Republic of Texas on January 25, 1839.
When the state of Texas was its own sovereign nation, it had its own embassy and ambassador in Paris.
The Republic of Texas lasted nine years, eleven months, and seventeen days before being incorporated into the United States in 1845.
A statehood bill was introduced in Congress in January 1845 and passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate later that year. The Republic of Texas was officially admitted to the Union as the 28th state on December 29, 1845.
The Compromise of 1850 transferred a third of Texas's claimed territory (now parts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Wyoming) to federal control in return for the U.S. federal government assuming $10 million of Texas's pre-annexation debt.
The Compromise of 1850 transferred a third of Texas's claimed territory (now parts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Wyoming) to federal control in return for the U.S. federal government assuming $10 million of Texas's pre-annexation debt.
Sam Houston was removed from office as Governor of Texas when it seceded in 1861, after refusing to take an oath of allegiance to the Confederacy.
In September 1900, a hurricane killed more than 8,000 people in the city of Galveston, Texas, the deadliest natural disaster in US history.
FUN TEXAS FACTS
Six countries have countries have controlled some or all of Texas at some point: Spain (1519–1821); France (1685–1690); Mexico (1821–1836); the Republic of Texas (1836–1845); the Confederate States of America (1861–1865); and the United States of America (1845–1861; 1865–present).
Texas is also known as the "Lone Star State".
The 'Don't mess with Texas' slogan started out as an anti-litter campaign.
Texas holds 8.5% of the US population and produces 12.8% of the country's total emissions.
Texas accounts for 7.4 per cent of the land area of the USA. It was 8.8 per cent until Alaska became a state in 1959.
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| Map of the United States with Texas highlighted. By TUBS - Wikipedia |
If Texas were a country, its GNP would be the fifth largest of any country on earth.
The entire current population of Earth could fit inside Texas, and it would still be less crowded than New York City.
Texas has six counties with over one million people, and eight counties with less than one thousand people.
Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth largest in the U.S.
Arlington, Texas, was the largest city in the United States without public transportation until it launched the Metro Arlington Xpress in 2013.
Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth largest in the U.S.
Arlington, Texas, was the largest city in the United States without public transportation until it launched the Metro Arlington Xpress in 2013.
El Paso, Texas, is closer to the capital cities of four other states than it is to the capital of its own state, Austin.
Guadalupe Peak is the highest natural point in Texas, with an elevation of 8,751 feet (2,667 m) above sea level.
Guadalupe Peak is the highest natural point in Texas, with an elevation of 8,751 feet (2,667 m) above sea level.
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| Visitors sign the register at Guadalupe Peak - the highest point in Texas. |
As of November 7, 2023, there have been 8,279 consecutive days with at least one deadly car accident in Texas. This means that there has not been a single deathless day on Texas roads since November 7, 2000. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is working to end this streak through its #EndTheStreakTX campaign.
Until 2009 you could get a driver's license in Texas without actually taking a driving test.
Texas is the only state that permits residents to cast absentee ballots from space.
Since 1976, when the US Supreme Court brought back judicial execution, 40 per cent of all executions in the US have taken place in Texas.
"Texas, Our Texas", the official state song of Texas, was written in 1924 by William J Marsh, who was born in Liverpool, England. When Alaska became a state, the third line of "Texas, Our Texas" was changed with “largest and grandest” replaced by “boldest and grandest”.
The state flower of Texas is the bluebonnet. Since 1933 its official state flower song has been "Bluebonnets" by Julia D Booth and Lora C Crockett.
Here is a list of songs with Texas in the title.
The state mammal of Texas is the armadillo. The state shellfish is the lightning whelk.
The state of Texas has its own power grid to avoid dealing with the US federal government.
Texas is an anagram of the word taxes. The only other US state which has a common one-word anagram of its name is Minnesota in the midwest (nominates).
Sources Daily Express, Ketknbc
Texas is the only state that permits residents to cast absentee ballots from space.
Since 1976, when the US Supreme Court brought back judicial execution, 40 per cent of all executions in the US have taken place in Texas.
"Texas, Our Texas", the official state song of Texas, was written in 1924 by William J Marsh, who was born in Liverpool, England. When Alaska became a state, the third line of "Texas, Our Texas" was changed with “largest and grandest” replaced by “boldest and grandest”.
The state flower of Texas is the bluebonnet. Since 1933 its official state flower song has been "Bluebonnets" by Julia D Booth and Lora C Crockett.
Here is a list of songs with Texas in the title.
The state mammal of Texas is the armadillo. The state shellfish is the lightning whelk.
The state of Texas has its own power grid to avoid dealing with the US federal government.
Texas is an anagram of the word taxes. The only other US state which has a common one-word anagram of its name is Minnesota in the midwest (nominates).
Sources Daily Express, Ketknbc
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