Culture Spot 11: On this day...October 22

On this day in 1836, Sam Houston was inaugurated as the first President of The Republic of Texas. From 1836 until 1845, Texas was a sovereign nation after having broken away from Mexico during the Texas Revolution. 

Animosity broke out between the Mexican government and the American settlers when Mexican President and General Antonio López de Santa Anna Pérez de Lebrón abolished the Mexican Constitution of 1824 replacing it with a new anti-federalist constitution. This led to political upheaval and open rebellion throughout the Mexican states and the war in Texas began in October of 1835. At that time, Texans were called Texians. The Texians had some early victories in the Texan War of Independence but a crushing blow came at the infamous Battle of the Alamo where the Texian fort was overrun by Mexican forces under Santa Anna killing all but a few of its defenders.

The war ended at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 20, 1836 with the capture of Santa Anna. On May 14, he was forced to sign the Treaty of Valesco officially recognizing Texan independence and guaranteeing his life. Other Mexican states also in open rebellion declared independence but Texas was the only Mexican state to succeed in detaching itself from Mexico due in part to the help of its Anglo-American settlers. On March 3, 1837, the United States under President Andrew Jackson officially recognized the Republic of Texas followed by France on September 29, 1839. Due to her friendly relations with Mexico, Great Britain never recognized Texan independence.

In 1845, US President John Tyler signed a bill that authorized the United States to officially annex the Republic of Texas on December 29 of that year. Faced with the threat of US annexation, Mexico, who had never officially recognized Texan independence, with British and French mediation, agreed to recognize the Republic of Texas if Texans refused the American offer. On October 13, 1845 a large majority of citizens in the Republic approved the American offer and a state constitution granting slavery rights. The Mexican proposal was never voted on. On December 29, 1845 Texas officially entered the Union as the 28th state.

VOCABULARY

to break away - se détacher de

to break out - éclater

a crushing blow - un écrasement

granting - accordant

to overrun - envahir

a settler - un colon

a threat - une menace

upheaval - des bouleversements