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Dec 7, 1519
1519
Alonso Alvarez de Pineda maps the Texas coast. -
Dec 8, 1541
1541
Explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado crosses the Texas Panhandle. -
Dec 9, 1554
1554
A Spanish treasure fleet shipwrecks off of present day Padre Island. -
Dec 10, 1581
1581
Spaniard Hernan Gallegos writes about the lives of of the Jumano Indians in Texas. -
1601
Juan de Onate crosses the Texas Panhandle on his way to Quivira. -
1659
Spaniards first record seeing Apache Indians riding horses. -
1685
A group of colonists led by French explorer Rene-Robert Cavalier, Sieur de la Salle lands in Matagorda Bay in Texas. -
1690
The Spanish build a mission named San Francisco de Los Tejas. -
1718
Martin de Alarcon establishes the San Antonio de Valero mission. -
1731
Settlers from the Canary Islands arrive in San Antonio. -
1755
Rancher Tomas Sanchez establishes the town of Laredo. -
1766
The Marquez de Rubi expedition begins. -
1779
Antonio Gil Ybarbo founds the town of Nacodoches in East Texas. -
1783
Spanish priest Juan Agustin Morfi, author of the "History of Texas" dies. -
1791
Philip Nolan, a U.S. citizen receives permission to capture wild horses in Texas. -
1819
U.S. citizen James Long and a small force invade Texas only to be defeated by Spanish Forces. -
1821
Mexico, which includes Texas, wins its independence from Spain. -
1821
The Spanish government grants Moses Austin permission to found a colony in Texas. -
1822
Settler Jared Groce plants a cotton crop, possibly the first in Austin's colony. -
1823
About 3,000 Anglo settlers live in Texas without the permission of the Mexican government. -
1824
Empresario Martin de Leon settles families on the lower Guadalupe River. -
1824
Mexican officials adopt the Constitution of 1824. Coahuila and Texas are merged to form one state. -
1826
An American Indian attack on the Green DeWitt colony forces settlers to flee Gonzales. -
1826
The Fredonian Rebellion begins when Haden Edwards declares independence from Mexico. -
1827
Stephen F. Austin receives a contract to settle an additional 100 families in Texas. -
1828
General Manuel de Meir y Teran begins a tour of Texas for the Mexican Government. -
1829
The Texas Gazette newspaper begins publication in Austin's colony. -
1829
Tomas J. Pilgrim organizes a Sunday school and private boys' school in San Felipe. -
1829
President Guerrero issues a decree ending slavery in Mexico, but makes Texas an exception. -
1830
On April 6, Mexico issues a law that changes the rules on immigration and trade in Texas. -
1831
The town of Gonzales receives a canon from the Mexican government to defend citizens against American Indian attacks. -
1833
Mary Austin Holley's letters, describing early life in Texas are published. -
1834
Texas farmers export some 7,000 bales of cotton worth about $315,000 to New Orleans. -
1834
Stephen F. Austin is arrested in Saltillo. -
October 2, 1835
Texas settlers attack Mexican soldiers at Gonzales, forcing them to leave. -
Dec. 9, 1835
Texas troops push Mexican troops out of San Antonio, capturing the city. -
1835
Texas settlers hold about 3,500 land grants. -
1835
An estimated 1,000 U.S. immigrants enter Texas each month. -
1835
Texas becomes concerned when the Mexican government officially abolishes the Constitution of 1824. -
Feb. 23, 1836
The siege of the Alamo begins. -
March 2, 1836
The Texas Declaration of Independence is adopted. -
April 21, 1836
Texans win the Battle of San Jacinto, ending the Texas Revolution. -
Dec 10, 1836
The first official flag is adopted by the Texas Congress. -
1836
Sam Houston becomes the first popularly elected president of the United Republic of Texas -
1837
The Texas government begins work in Houston, the new capital. -
1837
The U.S. congress authorizes a diplomat to go to Texas. -
1838
Texans elect Mirabeau B. Lamar president. -
1838
Velasco citizens hold a hose race on the coast near the town. -
1838
William H. Wharton is elected to the Texas Senate. -
1839
Texas passes a homestead law , protecting settlers' homes from being seized to pay debts. -
1839
Repeated attacks and discrimination force more than 100 Tejano families to flee Nacadoches. -
1839...
...France became the first European nation to recognize Texas as an independent nation. -
1840
Austin, the new capital, has 850 residents. -
1840
The first college chartered by the Republic, Rutersville College is founded. -
1840
Galveston University opens its doors to five students. -
1841
Texans again elect Sam Houston as president of the Republic. -
1841
William Kennedy publishes "Texas: The Rise, Progress, and Prospects of the Republic of Texas. -
1841
President Lamar sends the Texas Navy to the Yucatan coast. -
1842
Snider de Pellegrini, director of a french colonization company brings 14 settlers to Texas. -
1842
General Adrian Woll and about 1,400 Mexican soldiers capture San Antonio. -
1843
The Tehuacana Creek Councils lead to peace between Texas and several Texas indian groups. -
1844
President Sam Houston sends troops into East Texas to end the Regulator-Moderator War. -
1844
Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels comes to Texas followed by a group of German immigrants. -
1844
Texans elect Anson Jones to be the president of the Republic. -
1845
At least 30,000 enslaved African Americans live in Texas. -
1845
The United States annexes Texas. -
1846
Fighting breaks out between Mexican troops and U.S. forces at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. -
1846
Texas signs a treaty with the Penateka Comanches. -
1846
Thomas J. Rusk and Sam Houston become the first Texans to serve in the U.S. Senate. -
1847
George T. Wood is elected govoner of Texas. -
1847
Samuel H. Walker dies in combat during a conflict in Mexico. -
1847
A state census reports the states population at more than 142,000. -
1850
The Population of Texas grows to 200,000 people. -
1850
In her book "Texas in 1850", Melinda Rankin describes the state and urges people to move to Texas. -
1852
Work begins on the port Isabel Lighthouse. When completed its light could be seen from 16 miles away. -
1853
U.S. Army troops abandon Ft. Worth after settlers move farther west beyond the fort. -
1853
After many false starts, track is finally laid out for the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos, and Colorado Railways. -
1854
The American, or know-nothing party becomes active in Texas. -
1855
The governors mansion is built in Austin. -
1856
Slaves in Colorado County acquire weapons and plan a rebellion , but the plot is discovered before it could have begun. -
1858
The Butterfield Overland Mail begins taking passengers and mail by stagecoach from Missouri, through Texas, and on to California. -
1859
Sam Houston easily defeats incumbent Harden Runnels in the election for Texas governor. -
1859
A series of clashes occurs Texas Rangers and Mexican Americans near Brownsville. -
1859
Texas produces a record crop of more the 400,000 bales of cotton. -
February 1861
Texans vote by more than tree to one to Secede from the United States. -
October 1861
Troops leave San Antonio for New Mexico, planning to capture the southwest for the Confederacy. -
1861
The Texas Frontier Regiment is established. -
October 1862
Galveston is captured by Union forces. -
January 1863
President Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation. -
September 1863
A Union attempt to invade Texas is turned back at Sabine Pass. -
November 1863
Union troops capture Brownsville. -
1863
The Texas cattle population increases rapidly during the civil war. -
April 1864
Confederate forces stop a Union invasion of northeastern Texas in a battle near Mansfield, Luisiana. -
1864
Colonel Christopher Carson leads an attack against Plains Indians in the Panhandle. -
May 1865
The last land battle of the war is fought at Palmito Ranch, Texas. -
1865
The Emancipation Proclamation goes into effect in Texas, freeing the state's slaves. -
1868
African American George T. Ruby is elected as a delegate to the Republican National Convention. -
1868
Near Jacksburo, Fort Richardson is established. -
1869
Republican Edward J. Davis is elected governor of Texas -
1869
The Texas cowboys move a herd of 15,000 cattle to market. It was the single largest herd in the erea. -
1870
Texas has 583 miles of train tracks. -
1871
A public school system is created in Texas. -
1873
Ranchers begin to ship thousands of cattle from Denison after the Missouri-Kansas-Texas RailRoad extends a line there. -
1874
The Democratic Party regains full control of the state government. -
1874
Plains Indians attack a group of Buffalo hunters in the battle of Adobe Walls. -
1875
The Red River War ended when comanche leader Quanah Parker surrendered. -
1876
As an all-male istitution, Texas A&M University opens. -
1876
Texas adopts a new constitution. -
1876
About 2,700 animals die during a cattle stampede near the Brazos River. -
1876
The Texas legislature passes a law the allows the state to fund railroads with land grants. -
1879
Raids across the Texas-Mexican border were launched by Apache leader Victorio. -
1881
Forming the first Transcontinental railroad through Texas, the Texas and Pacific Railway meets the Southern Pacific Railroad line near El Paso. -
1882
A ranch in the Panhandle purchases enough barbed wire to fence in 250,000 acres. -
1883
The University of Texas formally opens. -
1886
A major strike against Jay Gould's railroad company is started by the Knights of Labor. -
1889
The Texas legislature passes the Antitrust Act. -
1889
There are more than 8,000 miles of railroad tracks throughout Texas. -
1890
Texas Normal College and Teacher's Institute now called the University of North Texas opens in Denton. -
1891
the Texas RailRoad Commission is Established to regulate railroads in Texas. -
1892
The Populist party is endorsed by a leading association of farmers. -
1894
In Corsicana drillers strike oil. -
1894
University of Texas, and Texas A&M play their first football game. -
1898
The Rough Riders get trained and organized in San Antonio by Teddy Roosevelt. -
1900
Galveston gets hit by a hurricane killing about 7,000 people. -
1900
Texas has more than 350,000 farms, and almost half of all farmers are tenant farmers. -
1901
More than 17 million barrels of oil came from the Spindletop well strikes oil. -
1902
A baseball record is set by the Corsicana Oilers for defeating the Texarkana team 53 to 1. -
1905
The Humble oil field in Harris county makes a large oils stike. -
1907
The department store Neiman Marcus opens in Dallas. -
1908
Along Galveston Bay, oil is discovered at Goose creek. -
1911
The League of Mexican Women elects their first president Jovita Idar. -
1914
Houston became an important oil refining center after the Houston Ship Channel opens. -
1918
Texas endorses the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits the sale or making of alcohol. -
1918
To fight in World War I, Texas troops are sent to France. -
1919
An application is filed to drill for oil on state-owned land in West Texas. And a few years later the Santa Rita No. 1 strikes oil. -
Longest River
The Rio Grande, which runs from Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico, and forms the Texas-Mexico border, is 1,896 miles long. -
Driest Place
The town of Wink Texas got just 1.76 inches of rain in 1956. -
Wettest Place
The town of Clarksville Texas got 109.4 inches of rain in 1873. -
Highest Place
The highest place in Texas is Guadalupe Peak at 8,749 feet above sea level. -
Coldest Spot in Texas
In 1899 at Tulia and in 1933 at Seminole, the temperature reached a chilling -23F! -
Hottest Spot
In 1936 at Seymour and in 1994 at Monahans the temperature reached 120F ! -
Crude Oil
Texas Produced 730 million barrels of crude oil in 2012 worth about $55 billion -
Texas Indians
C. 10,000 b.c. Proto-Indians live at the Gault site. -
Coal
it is estimated that Texas has 23 billion tons of a type of coal called ignite. -
Irrigation
6 million acres of Texas land are irrigated. -
Texas Farms
There were more than 244,700 farms in Texas as of 2012. -
Aquifers
The largest underground water source in texas is the Ogallala Aquifer. -
Agriculure
In 2012, Agriculture brought some $36 billion dollars to the Texas economy. -
Water Reserves
The Toledo Bend Reservoir is located on the Sabine River and holds more than 5.5billion cubic meters of water. -
Natural Lakes
The largest natural lake in Texas is Caddo Lake, which covers 39 square miles in Texas and Luisiana. -
Timber!
In 2007,the Texas timber industry earned more than $1.9 billion. -
Forests
There are more than 60 million acres of forests and woodlands in Texas. -
Cotton
Texas cotton production value reached over $1.5 billion in 2011. -
Big Bend
The largest national park in Texas is Big Bend which covers more the 800,000 acres of land. -
Livestock
In 2007, the total sales of live stock reached $10.8 billion -
Electronics
In 2012, Texas' exports of computers and electronics was worth $45 billion. -
Europeans and Indians
Europeans arrived in A.D.1528 in Texas and met the Karankawas. -
Proto-Indians
Proto-Indians live on the Gault site. -
Indian Tools
Costal American Indians made knives and scrapers from stone around 1500 B.C. -
Indian Pottery
American Indians living near Galveston Bay begin making pottery around A.D. 100. -
Indian Crops
The Caddo Indians grew many different crops in East Texas somewhere around A.D. 1,000. -
1914
Leading to the growth in the Houston erea, the Houston Ship Channel is completed.
