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Battle of San Jacinto
Sam Houston and about 800 Texans defeated Santa Anna’s Mexican army of about 1,500 men at the Battle of San Jacinto. During the battle they were shouting “Remember the Alamo!" They captured General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna who later signed a peace treaty at Velasco.
Ref. https://www.history.com/topics/mexico/battle-of-san-jacinto -
Texas Declares Independence from Mexico
David Burnet was chosen as president and Sam Houston was chosen as the commander in chief of Texan forces. They adopted a constitution that would protect the free practice of slavery, which had been prohibited by Mexican law. They held a convention for American Texans to meet at Washington-on-the-Brazos and declared Texas' independence from Mexico
Ref. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/texas-declares-independence -
The last act of the Jackson Presidency
The United States recognized Texan independence when President Andrew Jackson nominated Alcée La Branche as Minister to Texas.
Ref. https://history.state.gov/countries/texas#:~:text=The%20United%20States%20recognized%20Texan,Branche%20as%20Minister%20to%20Texas. -
A formal offer of Texas to annex itself to the United States is made
The Texas minister at Washington, D.C., proposed annexation to the Martin Van Buren administration but he was told that the proposition could not be entertained. In September of 1836 Texas voted overwhelmingly in favor of annexation but constitutional reservations and the fear of possibly starting a war with Mexico led them to reject the proposition.
Ref. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/annexation -
Texas withdraws the offer of annexation
President Houston wanted Wharton, who was minister to Texas at the time, to make an effort on the behalf of annexation, but John Forsyth, the Secretary of State of the United States, thought that the annexation should be the work of a northern president. Due to this belief, nothing beyond recognition was acquired during President Jackson's administration. Houston then decided to withdraw the proposal to annex Texas.
Ref. https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/30234808.pdf -
Texas Congress passes joint resolution
The Republic of Texas Senate approved the withdrawal of the annexing proposal in January of 1839.
Ref. https://www.tsl.texas.gov/lobbyexhibits/mural-annexation -
Sam Houston issues proclamation
Santa Anna received a letter explaining that Houston wanted an armistice of several months to give the people of Texas an opportunity to consider the proposals. He agreed to a truce and Houston sent Samuel M. Williams and George W. Hockley as commissioners to meet their counterparts at Sabinas. They met to arrange a general armistice and request a commission to meet in Mexico City to discuss a permanent peace.
Ref. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/republic-of-texas -
An annexation treaty
After houston left presidency, President John Tyler restarted negotiations with the Republic of Texas, culminating with a Treaty of Annexation.
Ref. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-congress-declares-war-on-mexico -
Treaty rejected again
The treaty was defeated again by a wide margin, 35 to 16. The Senate rejected it because it would upset the slave state/free state balance between North and South and would risk war with Mexico, which had broken off relations with the United States.
Ref. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-congress-declares-war-on-mexico -
Texas officially the 28th state
Shortly before President John Tyler left office, he tried again to culminated a Treaty of Annexation for Texas. This time he went through a joint resolution of both houses of Congress. With the support of President-elect Polk, Tyler managed to get the joint resolution passed on March 1, 1845, and Texas was admitted into the United States on December 29.
Ref. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/texas-annexation