How Texas Became Part of the United States: A Tale of Manifest Destiny, Ten Gallon Hats, and Maybe a Pinch of Stealing
Ah, Texas. Land of rodeos, rattlesnakes, and enough barbecue to feed a small army (or a very hungry family reunion). But how exactly did this vast swathe of land become part of the United States? Buckle up, partners, because we're about to take a hilarious history hike, with a side helping of "wait, that actually happened?"
Act I: The Lone Star State Wants a Roommate (and Maybe Steals the Furniture)
Texas wasn't always part of the U.S. party. Originally, it was part of Mexico. But a bunch of American settlers, lured by cheap land and the chance to say "yeehaw" unironically, moved in. These settlers, feeling a little too independent for Mexican rule, decided to break things off and have their own revolution in 1836. Remember the Alamo? Yeah, that was part of it. Fun Fact: One of the leaders of the Texan revolution was Sam Houston, who previously served as governor of...Tennessee. Seems like the guy just couldn't resist a good ol' rebellion.
Act II: Manifest Destiny Says "Howdy, Neighbor!"
After the revolution, the newly minted Republic of Texas wanted to join the United States. This whole idea fit perfectly into the trendy concept of Manifest Destiny, which basically said that America was destined to stretch from sea to shining sea (and maybe snag some extra land along the way). There was just one snag: a bunch of folks worried that adding Texas, a slave state, would upset the delicate balance of power in the U.S. Important Note: This is where things get a bit more serious. The issue of slavery played a huge role in the annexation of Texas and ultimately led to the Mexican-American War.
Act III: Howdy? More Like Howitzer! (The Mexican-American War)
Mexico, none too pleased about Texas declaring independence, said "hold on there, partners, that's still our land!" This disagreement led to the Mexican-American War, a conflict that some historians argue the U.S. pretty much provoked. After a couple of years of fighting, Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, officially recognizing Texas as part of the U.S. and giving up a whole lot of extra land in the bargain (California, Nevada, Utah, parts of Arizona and New Mexico, and a slice of Colorado – not a bad consolation prize).
The End? More Like The Beginning!
And that, folks, is the (slightly irreverent) story of how Texas became part of the United States. It's a tale filled with independence, chest-thumping patriotism, and possibly a dash of questionable land acquisition. But hey, at least we got some great barbecue out of it, right?
