Republic of Texas: Map & History
The Republic of Texas, or simply Texas, was a short-lived sovereign country in North America from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846.
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The Republic of Texas, or simply Texas, was a short-lived sovereign country in North America from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846. Texas was bordered by Mexico to the west and southwest, the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast, the two U.S. states of Louisiana and Arkansas to the east and northeast, and U.S. unorganized territory encompassing parts of the current U.S. states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming to the north. The Texas Revolution began when hostilities broke out on October 2, 1835, shortly before the regime of Mexican President and General Antonio López de Santa Anna adopted a new Mexican constitution known as the Siete Leyes that abolished the authority of the states under the federal republic and established a centralized government. The revolution lasted for over six months. On March 2, 1836, delegates in convention proclaimed the Texas Declaration of Independence. Major fighting ended on April 21, 1836, with the Treaties of Velasco that ended the fighting and secured Texas' independence.
Modern Countries Once Part of Republic of Texas
At its mapped extent, Republic of Texas covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Republic of Texas's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Republic of Texas in Depth
History
During the late Spanish colonial era, Texas had been one of the Provincias Internas, and the region is known in the historiography as Spanish Texas. Though claimed by Spain, it was not formally colonized by the empire until competing French interests at Fort St. Louis were a catalyst for Spain to establish permanent settlements in the area.
The region was long occupied and claimed by the existing indigenous groups of Native Americans. During the period from the 1690s–1710s, sporadic missionary expeditions took place before the Spanish established San Antonio as a permanent civilian settlement.
Spanish colonization in Texas was a slow process. Nevertheless, Spain tried to establish missions and presidios to spread Catholicism.
Government
In September 1836 Texas elected a Congress of 14 senators and 29 representatives. The Constitution allowed the first president to serve for two years and subsequent presidents for three years. To hold an office or vote, a man had to be a citizen of the Republic.
The first Congress of the Republic of Texas convened in October 1836 at Columbia (now West Columbia). Stephen F. Austin, often referred to as the "Father of Texas", died on December 27, 1836, after serving just two months as the republic's secretary of state. Due mainly to the ongoing war for independence, five sites served as temporary capitals of Texas in 1836: (Washington-on-the-Brazos, Harrisburg, Galveston, Velasco and Columbia). The capital was moved to the new city of Houston in 1837.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Republic of Texas (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Republic of Texas: Key Facts
| Capital | Washington-on-the-Brazos |
|---|---|
| Official language | English |
| Form of government | presidential system |
| Currency | Texas dollar |
| Founded | 2 March 1836 |
| Dissolved | 19 February 1846 |
Preceded by
- Mexican Texas
- Centralist Republic of Mexico
Succeeded by
- Texas
Facts from Wikidata Q170588 (CC0).
Republic of Texas Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 374,109 km² in 1844 CE.
Republic of Texas: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Republic of Texas exist?
The Republic of Texas is dated to 1836 CE – 1845 CE, in the Industrial era.
What was the capital of the Republic of Texas?
The capital of the Republic of Texas was San Antonio de Bexar (Mexican Texas), San Felipe de Austin (1835, provisional), Washington-on-the-Brazos (1836, interim), Harrisburg (1836, interim), Galveston (1836, interim), Velasco (1836, interim), Columbia (1836–1837), Houston (1837–1839), Austin (1839–1846).
How large was the Republic of Texas at its peak?
At its peak in 1844 the Republic of Texas covered about 374,109 km².
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