Republic of Texas Part 1 4th -weeks

Republic of Texas  Part 1


1st President-Sam Houston

•Vice President-Mirabeau Lamar
•Secretary of State-Stephen F. Austin
•Secretary of Treasury-Henry Smith (ad interim governor)
•Secretary of War-Thomas J. Rusk

NotesProblems facing a new Republic

Mexican government

Financial problems

Native Texans

A New Capital

         Brothers, John and Augustus Allen planned to build a new town and agreed to provide buildings in their town for the Texas government and name it after Sam Houston. Many people complained about the log structures, muddy streets, heat, humidity, diseases, and mosquitoes. The town of Houston remained  the capital of Texas throughout   Sam Houston’s first administration.

First try at Annexation

         In the same election that made Houston the 1^st president, the majority of Texans also voted to seek annexation to the United States. Most Texans had immigrated from the United States, and the Texans’ language, customs, and ideas about government were similar to most Americans. Annexation to the U.S. would help pay-off the debt the Republic of Texas was in and help in case of war with Mexico. The addition of Texas to the U.S. would allow for U.S. westward expansion. Many Texans thought that the U.S. would be eager to accept Texas as a state. It took Texas ten more years to become a part of the United States because Texas would have been admitted as a slave state and because of the problems between Texas and Mexico.

         The U.S. government rejected Texas’s proposal in 1837 to become a state because it was afraid of starting a war with Mexico

Financial Problems

        When Houston began his presidency Texas was in debt over $1 million dollars. Houston was a good money manager and kept government expenses to a minimum and tried to raise money for revenue. To raise money the government began to collect customs duties and property taxes. In 1837 the Texas Congress authorized Houston to issue about $600,000 in promissory notes, called Star Money. However, Texas’ financial problems continued to increase and Star Money was refused by most people.

Problems with the Army

         The Mexican government refused to recognize Texas as being independent and accept the Treaties of Velasco. Many people in Texas wanted to renew the war with Mexico. President Houston sent home all but 600 soldiers on leave so that he didn’t have to worry about war and the government didn’t have to find the money to pay the soldiers.

Problems with the Native Americans

         During the Texas Revolution Houston signed a treaty with the Cherokees so that the Texan army wouldn’t have to fight Santa Anna and Native Texans at the same time. In return after the war the Texas government would give the Cherokees titles to their land. However the Cherokees held very desirable land and most Texans wanted to rid the Republic of all Native Texans. Native Americans fought back and Houston enlisted the Texas Rangers to patrol the frontier and control the danger to the settlers. Houston was sympathetic to the Native Texans, but most Texans did not share his views