The name Texas is a Spanish name, which comes from an Indian word meaning "friends" or "allies."
The Republic of Texas achieved its independence from Mexico in 1836, the same year as the famous siege of the Alamo in which pioneers Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett were slain.
For almost ten years, Texas was an independent republic. The leaders of the republic first voted for Texas to be annexed to the United States in 1836, soon after it its gained independence from Mexico. But the U.S. Congress was unwilling to admit another state which permitted slavery.
Sam Houston, military commander during the Texas War for Independence from Mexico and the first President of the Republic of Texas, was a strong advocate of annexation. On June 23, 1845, a special session of the legislature of Texas again voted in favor of annexation by the United States.
In 1845, the political climate proved more favorable to the request for statehood, and, in 1846, the Lone Star flag of the Republic of Texas became the flag of the twenty-eighth state in the Union. A unique provision in its agreement with the United States permitted the state to retain title to its public lands.
The state is divided into various regions characterized by distinct history, culture and climate. The Eastern part of the state includes the forested area known as the "Big Thicket" and some of the wet, coastal marsh area. The region produces cotton, rice, and sugar cane, and its economy is centered on the Gulf Coast's petrochemical and shipping industries. The Eastern part of Texas continues to be culturally tied to the Deep South.
The Western part of the state includes the Davis Mountains, the northern High Plains of the Panhandle, and some of the Hill Country. Cattle and sheep ranching continue to thrive in the legendary land of the cowboy. Near the national border, Mexican culture remains particularly influential.
If you're interested in Texas history, bookmark this page. There's more to come.
Thank you,
Chris Whitten
TexasHistory.info Webmaster
P.S. Sorry about the DirectNIC banner ads at the top and bottom of this page. I get the Web hosting for free for letting them advertise like this. They're actually a great company for domain name registration and Web hosting. Click here for more about them.
Texas State Library and Library of Congress source materials were used for the Texas history information on this page.
Search for books and movies about Texas history at Amazon.