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Mexico Wins
Mexico wins Independence from Spain; Austin Founds New Colony. Moses Austin hoped to bring 300 families to the Mexican province in 1820. Austin received approval from the Spanish governor to bring settlers into Tejas. Austin settled the land near the Brazos and Colorado in 1824 -
Mexico Encourages Foreign Settlement
Mexico Encourages Foreign Settlement of Texas. established rules for settling colonies in 1824. During this time, they also joined Coahuila and Texas, forming a unified Mexican state "Coahuila y Tejas." -
Conflict
When they first arrived in Mexico, settlers weren't prepared to accept their new identity. In large part, they refused to identify as Mexican citizens and instead called themselves "Texians." Despite Mexico's rules prohibiting slavery, Austin's settlers arrived from the American south and brought slaves of African descent with them. Mexican authorities worried they would lose control of the state due to the lack of loyalty to the country. -
Mexico Bans U.S. Immigration
Mexico banned further immigration from the United States on April 6, 1830. They encouraged immigration from Mexico and European countries, placed more restrictions on slavery, and increased military presence in the region. -
Battle of Velasco
On June 26, 1832, the battle of Velasco, which served as a prelude to the Texas Revolution and was likely the first instance of bloodshed in Texas-Mexico ties, took place. predicted the coming Texan Revolution. After several days of fighting, the Mexicans under Domingo de Ugartechea were forced to surrender for lack of ammunition. -
Santa Anna becomes President of Mexico
Santa Anna becomes President of Mexico. Texans were initially okay with this development because of Santa Anna's support for the Constitution of 1824, which was very similar to the U.S. Constitution. Santa Anna, however, revoked the 1824 Constitution in favor of a more concentrated administration and was no longer in favor of Texas's independence. -
The Battle of Gonzales: Come and take it
The Battle of Gonzales was the first battle of the Texas Revolution and it happened on October 2, 1835. Leading up to the battle, tensions had been growing between the Texians and the Mexican government as Santa Anna came to power. Eventually, the Mexican government repealed the Law of 1830, but would not grant statehood to Texas. Amidst the conflict, thousands upon thousands of Americans were immigrating to Texas. -
Texas Declares Independence
On March 1, 59 delegates held the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos. There they drafted the Texas Declaration of Independence and adopted it on March 2. The Texas Declaration of Independence was produced, literally, overnight. Its urgency was important as the Alamo in San Antonio was currently under siege by Santa Anna’s army of Mexico. -
The Battle of San Jacinto
Independence seemed out of reach after the Alamo and Goliad. General Houston drew criticism for not having yet attacked Santa Anna's advancing army. Ordered to stop his retreat by ad interim President David G. After the Alamo fell in the spring of 1836, Sam Houston and the Texan forces withdrew. The soldiers were getting restless rapidly. -
Austin becomes Capital of Texas
Lamar set up a commission to begin researching potential locations for the new capital. They decided to pay tribute to Stephen F. Austin and name the Capital after him. -
Texas annexed to the United States
The Texas annexation was the 1845 annexation of the Republic of Texas into the United States. President James Polk annexed Texas into the United States, making it the 28th state. -
The Beginning of the U.S.-Mexican War
The annexation of Texas bolstered westward expansion of the United States. Mexico and America went to war over claims of the borders between the two country's. The result was the Rio Grand becoming the official boundary between Texas and Mexico. -
The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo: The end of the war
The end of the war. The U.S. Mexican War was brought to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. The treaty established boundaries between the United States and Mexico. -
Texas joined Confederacy: Civil War began
The majority of Texans feared the election of a Republican would threaten slavery, which they believed was a vital part of the economy of the young state. The Union would prove victorious four years later. -
Battle of Galveston
Confederated soldiers took back control over the port in Galveston, making it the only port controlled by the confederate army during the remainder of the Civil War. -
Present Texas Constitution Adopted
The Constitution of 1876 was the sixth revision of the document and established the foundation for the law still in effect in Texas today. -
The Early Days of Women's Equality
The fight for women's equality began long before they won the right to vote in 1919. -
Texas Railroad Commission Established
The commission was established to oversee the rates and operations of railroads, wharves, terminals, and express companies, but it gained national importance with its oversight of oil and gas production -
Discovery of oil
Oil was discovered at Spindletop Hill near Beaumont Texas. The oil discovery is regarded as an important piece of Texas history, as it ushered in the birth of the modern oil industry in the United States, where enough oil could be used for fuel and power.