Texas History Comprehensive Exam Review Guide

Early Statehood and Annexation

Roles of Sam Houston in Texas History: Sam Houston was a multifaceted leader who served in nearly every major capacity during the transition of Texas from a territory to a state. His roles included: - Commander-in-Chief of the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution. - The first and third President of the Republic of Texas. - A United States Senator representing the state of Texas after annexation. - Governor of Texas (from which he was famously removed after refusing to take an oath to the Confederacy).
Manifest Destiny: This was the widely held belief in the $19^{th}$ century that the United States was destined by Providence to expand its dominion and spread democracy and capitalism across the entire North American continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
Rejection of the 1844 Annexation Treaty: The United States Senate rejected the initial $1844$ treaty for several reasons: - Slavery: Anti-slavery groups and Northern politicians feared that adding Texas as a slave state would upset the political balance between free and slave states in Congress. - Fear of War: There was significant concern that annexing Texas would lead to a direct conflict with Mexico, which still considered Texas a rebellious province. - Debt: Some were wary of assuming the Republic of Texas's substantial public debt.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ( $1848$ ): - Terms: Mexico recognized the Rio Grande as the official border of Texas. Mexico ceded a vast territory to the U.S. (the Mexican Cession), including modern-day California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming. In return, the United States paid Mexico $15,000,000$ and agreed to cover the claims of American citizens against Mexico (totaling over $3.25$ million). - Importance: It fulfilled the vision of Manifest Destiny, providing the U.S. with Pacific ports and vast natural resources, while finally resolving the boundary dispute that led to the Mexican-American War.
Texas Annexation ( $1845$ ): Texas was formally annexed to the United States on December $29$ , $1845$ .
Joint Resolution Benefits: Unlike the failed $1844$ treaty, the Joint Resolution of $1845$ only required a simple majority in both houses of Congress. Under these terms, Texas entered the Union as a state rather than a territory, was allowed to keep its public lands to help pay off its debt, and retained the right to divide itself into as many as five separate states in the future.
Cause of the Mexican-American War: President James K. Polk argued that war was necessary because Mexico had "invaded our territory and shed American blood upon American soil" following a skirmish in the disputed territory between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande.
Immigration Patterns: Following Mexican Texans (Tejanos), the largest immigrant group in Texas during early statehood was the Germans.

The Era of Civil War and Reconstruction

Sam Houston and the Secession Crisis: As Governor, Houston adamantly opposed secession, arguing that it would lead to a disaster for the South. When the Secession Convention voted to leave the Union in $1861$ , Houston refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Confederate States of America, resulting in his removal from office.
Formation of the Republican Party: The Republican Party was formed in the mid- $1850$ s with the primary goal of preventing the westward spread of slavery into the new U.S. territories.
Secessionist Region: The Southern United States (including Texas) seceded from the Union to form the Confederate States of America.
Four Major Battles in Texas: - Battle of Galveston: Confederate forces reclaimed the port from Union occupation. - Battle of Sabine Pass: A small Confederate force successfully defended the pass against a Union invasion fleet. - Battle of Laredo: A brief engagement involving the defense of cotton exports. - Battle of Palmito Ranch: Fought near Brownsville, this is recognized as the final land battle of the Civil War, occurring on May $12$ - $13$ , $1865$ , after Robert E. Lee had already surrendered at Appomattox.
The Freedmen’s Bureau: Established by Congress in $1865$ , this agency was designed to aid former enslaved people (freedmen) and poor whites in the South by providing food, clothing, medical care, and legal assistance, as well as establishing schools.
The Emancipation Proclamation: Issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January $1$ , $1863$ , this document declared that all persons held as slaves within the rebellious Confederate states "are, and henceforward shall be free."
The Ku Klux Klan ( $KKK$ ): Formed during Reconstruction, this secret society used violence and intimidation to maintain white supremacy and prevent African Americans from exercising their new political rights, such as voting.
Reconstruction Amendments: - $13^{th}$ Amendment: Legally abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States, except as punishment for a crime. - $14^{th}$ Amendment: Granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S.—including former slaves—and guaranteed all citizens "equal protection of the laws." - $15^{th}$ Amendment: Prohibited the government from denying a citizen the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude."
Changes to Gubernatorial Power: Following the Davis administration during Reconstruction, the Texas Constitution of $1876$ significantly limited the power of the Governor, making it a weak executive office with shortened terms and restricted appointment powers to prevent perceived abuses of authority.

Conflict on the Frontier, Cattle, and Cotton

Buffalo Soldiers: These were African American soldiers who served in the U.S. Army on the Western frontier after the Civil War. They were known for their bravery and were given the name "Buffalo Soldiers" by Native Americans.
Frontier Vulnerability: During the Civil War, Texas settlers were vulnerable to Native American raids because federal troops had been withdrawn for the war effort, and state troops were often diverted to protect the coastline or borders from Union forces.
Quanah Parker: He was the son of a Comanche chief and a captured white woman (Cynthia Ann Parker). He became a dominant leader of the Quahadi Comanches and later a successful transitioner into white society, representing his people's interests in Washington, D.C.
Barbed Wire: Its introduction in the $1870$ s and $1880$ s ended the era of the open range. It allowed farmers and ranchers to fence in their property, which led to "range wars," restricted the movement of cattle, and ultimately brought about the end of the long cattle drives.
Cattle Branding: Owners branded their cattle with unique symbols using hot irons to establish ownership and prevent theft (rustling) on the open range where herds often mixed.
The Chisholm Trail: This was a major route used in the post-Civil War era to drive cattle from Texas ranches to railheads in Kansas (such as Abilene) for shipment to Eastern markets.
Success of the Cattle Industry: The industry thrived due to Texas's vast, flat grasslands (the Great Plains), an abundance of water sources, and the presence of the hardy Texas Longhorn breed which was resistant to diseases like Texas Fever.

Progressivism, the Oil Boom, and Reform

Voter Suppression of Minorities: Beyond literacy tests, Texas used Poll Taxes (a fee required to vote) and White Primaries (primaries where only white voters could participate) to disenfranchise African Americans and Mexican Americans.
Benefits of Railroads: Railroads allowed for faster, cheaper transportation of goods and people. They stimulated the growth of cities, ended the isolation of West Texas, and provided farmers and ranchers access to distant markets.
Cotton Demand and Farming: High demand led to a "one-crop" economy in many areas. However, as production increased, prices eventually fell, leading many farmers into the debt cycle of the Sharecropping and Tenant Farming systems.
James Hogg: The first native-born Governor of Texas, he was a Progressive reformer who established the Texas Railroad Commission to regulate the powerful railroad companies and protect citizens from unfair business practices.
Agrarian Reform Movements: - The Grange: A social and political organization of farmers that advocated for shipping rate regulations and cooperative buying. - Farmers’ Alliance: Formed in Lampasas, it pushed for government ownership of railroads and a sub-treasury system to help farmers get better prices. - Populist Party: Also known as the People's Party, it represented laborers and farmers, advocating for the free silver movement and government regulation of industries.
The Spindletop Gusher ( $1901$ ): On January $10$ , $1901$ , the discovery of oil at Spindletop near Beaumont marked the beginning of the Texas oil boom and transformed the state's economy.
Oil and the Lumber Industry: The oil boom created a massive demand for lumber to build oil derricks, housing for workers, and storage facilities, leading to a parallel boom in the East Texas timber industry.
Galveston Hurricane of 1900: To protect itself from future storms, Galveston built a massive concrete seawall and successfully completed an engineering feat to raise the grade (elevation) of the entire city.
$19^{th}$ Amendment: Ratified in $1920$ , it granted women the right to vote (suffrage).

World Wars, the Great Depression, and the Dust Bowl

Cotton Prices in the 1920s: As production increased (overproduction), the market became saturated, causing prices to plummet and causing economic hardship for Texas farmers even before the Great Depression.
The Zimmermann Telegram: This secret $1917$ document from Germany proposed a military alliance with Mexico against the U.S., promising Mexico the return of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona if they joined the war.
WWI Technology: The war saw the widespread use of airplanes, tanks, submarines ( $U$ -boats), machine guns, and chemical gas.
Urbanization in the 1920s: Thousands of Texans moved from rural farms to cities (like Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio) for factory jobs, leading to changes in social life, the rise of the middle class, and new forms of entertainment like jazz and movies.
Impact of the Dust Bowl: Severe drought and poor farming practices led to massive dust storms that destroyed crops, killed livestock, and forced many "Okies" and Texans to migrate westward or to cities.
Oveta Culp Hobby: A prominent Texan who served as the first director of the Women’s Army Corps ( $WAC$ ) and was later the first secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
Audie Murphy: A Texan who became the most decorated soldier of World War II, receiving every military combat award for valor available from the U.S. Army.
POW and Internment Camps: During WWII, Texas hosted numerous Prisoner of War ( $POW$ ) camps for German, Italian, and Japanese soldiers. The U.S. also maintained Japanese Internment Camps (such as the one in Crystal City, Texas) where Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated due to wartime fears.
Discrimination against German Texans: During both World Wars, German Texans faced hostility; the German language was often banned in schools, German-sounding names were changed, and some individuals were suspected of being spies or disloyal to the U.S.
The Holocaust: This was the state-sponsored, systematic persecution and genocide of approximately six million Jews and millions of others by the Nazi regime and its collaborators.

Texas Government and Citizenship

Texas Bill of Rights: Found in Article $1$ of the Texas Constitution, it is a list of fundamental protections for citizens, similar to the U.S. Bill of Rights but more detailed (e.g., protections against imprisonment for debt).
County Government: The county level serves as an administrative arm of the state. It handles property taxes, keeps vital records (births, deaths, marriages), maintains county roads, and manages law enforcement through the Sheriff’s office.
Rights of Texas Citizens: - A. Freedom of speech and press. - B. Freedom of religion. - C. Right to a trial by jury. - D. Right to bear arms for self-defense. - E. Right to peaceably assemble and petition the government. - F. Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. - G. Right to due process of law. - H. Right to equal protection under the law regardless of race or gender.
Responsibilities of Texas Citizens: - a. Voting in local, state, and national elections. - b. Serving on a jury when called. - c. Paying taxes (property, sales, etc.). - d. Obeying all local, state, and federal laws.

The 7 Principles of the Constitution

Popular Sovereignty: The principle that the ultimate power and authority of the government comes from the people (the consent of the governed).
Limited Government: The concept that the government is not all-powerful and must obey the law; its powers are restricted by the Constitution.
Separation of Powers: Dividing the government into three distinct branches (Legislative, Executive, Judicial) to ensure no single entity has too much power.
Checks and Balances: The system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse.
Federalism: The distribution of power between the central (federal) government and the state governments.
Republicanism: A system where people elect representatives to make laws and run the government on their behalf.
Individual Rights: The personal liberties and privileges guaranteed to every citizen, protected by the Bill of Rights.

Territorial Acquisition and Significant Dates

Acquisition of Territories: - Area A (Mexican Cession): Acquired through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in $1848$ following the Mexican-American War. - Area B (Texas Annexation): Acquired in $1845$ when the Republic of Texas joined the United States as the $28^{th}$ state. - Area C (Louisiana Purchase): Acquired from France in $1803$ for $15$ million, doubling the size of the United States. - Area D (Gadsden Purchase): Acquired from Mexico in $1853$ for $10$ million to provide a southern route for a transcontinental railroad. - Area E (Oregon Territory): Acquired through a treaty with Great Britain in $1846$ , establishing the boundary at the $49^{th}$ parallel.
Significance of Important Dates: - 1836: Texas wins independence from Mexico and becomes the Republic of Texas. - 1845: Texas is annexed by the United States. - 1861: Texas secedes from the Union, and the American Civil War begins. - 1876: The current Constitution of Texas is adopted. - 1901: Spindletop oil strike occurs, launching the modern petroleum industry in Texas.

Questions & Discussion

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Subject: Texas History - Spring Semester Exam Review Packet
Schedule: Monday (Early Statehood/Civil War), Tuesday (Frontier/Cattle/Oil), Wednesday (WWI/WWII/Government).