Malcolm Rivera
On March 2, 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico, signing the Texas Declaration of Independence at Washington-on-the-Brazos, now known as the birthplace of Texas. The declaration established the Republic of Texas, though it was not recognised by any other government at the time. The Mexican Republic still claimed the land, and the United States did not recognise it to avoid an act of war against Mexico. The declaration was issued during a revolution against the Mexican government, which began in October 1835 following a series of government edicts, including the dissolution of state legislatures, disarmament of state militias, and the abolition of the Constitution of 1824. The Texas Constitution was drafted in the days following the declaration, with parts copied verbatim from the United States Constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Declaration of Independence | March 2, 1836 |
| Location of Declaration | Washington-on-the-Brazos |
| Number of Signatories | 60 |
| Signatories Born in Mexico | 3 |
| Signatories from the US | 57 |
| Signatories Living in Texas for Over Six Years | 14 |
| Signatories Living in Texas for Less Than a Year | 15 |
| Provisional President | David Burnet |
| Commander-in-Chief of Texan Forces | Sam Houston |
| Constitution | Protected free practice of slavery |
| Basis of Declaration | Writings of John Locke and Thomas Jefferson |
| Reasons for Separation | Abolition of 1824 Constitution, Centralist Military Dictatorship |
| Texian Victory | Battle of San Jacinto, April 1836 |
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What You'll Learn
The Texas Revolution
The Texians (Anglo-American settlers) and Tejanos (Texans of Mexican and Indian descent) had differing views on the ultimate goal of the revolution. Some believed the goal should be total independence, while others sought the reimplementation of the 1824 Constitution. In December 1835, Texians and Tejanos captured the town of San Antonio. In response, on February 23, 1836, Mexican troops under General Santa Anna arrived in San Antonio to retake the city, bombarding the Alamo with cannon and rifle fire for 12 days.
On March 1, 1836, the revolutionary government convened a convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos, now known as the "birthplace of Texas". The next day, Texas formally declared its independence from Mexico, adopting the Texas Declaration of Independence. The declaration, based on the writings of John Locke and Thomas Jefferson, proclaimed that the Mexican government had ceased to protect the lives, liberty, and property of the people. It also emphasised the rights of citizens to "life", "liberty", and "property", mirroring the United States Declaration of Independence. The declaration also mentioned the abrogation of the 1824 Constitution, the invitation to settlers with promises of liberty and republican government, and the subsequent reneging on these guarantees as reasons for the separation.
The delegates at the convention chose David Burnet as provisional president and confirmed Sam Houston as the commander-in-chief of all Texan forces. They also adopted a constitution that protected the free practice of slavery, which had been prohibited by Mexican law. The declaration was not officially recognised by any government other than Texas itself. The Mexican Republic still claimed the land, and the United States did not recognise Texas's independence to avoid an act of war against Mexico.
In April 1836, the decisive Texian victory at the Battle of San Jacinto forced Santa Anna to recognise Texas's independence and withdraw his forces. Texas existed as an independent republic for nearly a decade before joining the Union as the 28th state in 1845, leading to the outbreak of the Mexican-American War.
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The Mexican-American War
Texas formally declared its independence from Mexico and adopted its constitution on March 2, 1836. This was during the Texas Revolution, which began in October 1835 when native Tejanos and new settlers in Mexican Texas rose up against the Mexican government. The Mexican-American War, however, took place later, from April 1846 to February 1848.
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The Texas Declaration of Independence
The declaration was issued during the Texas Revolution, a revolution against the Mexican government that began in October 1835. The revolution was sparked by a series of government edicts, including the dissolution of state legislatures, disarmament of state militias, and the abolition of the Constitution of 1824. The Mexican government had become increasingly centralized, and the rights of its citizens, particularly regarding immigration from the United States, were curtailed. The Texas Declaration of Independence was based primarily on the writings of John Locke and Thomas Jefferson, proclaiming that the Mexican government had "ceased to protect the lives, liberty, and property of the people". It also emphasized the "property of the citizen", similar to the United States Declaration of Independence.
The delegates at the convention chose David Burnet as provisional president and confirmed Sam Houston as the commander-in-chief of all Texan forces. They also adopted a constitution that protected the free practice of slavery, which had been prohibited by Mexican law. The declaration officially established the Republic of Texas, although it was not recognized by any other government at the time. The Mexican Republic still claimed the land and considered the delegates invaders.
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The Republic of Texas
The Texas Declaration of Independence was issued during the Texas Revolution, which began in October 1835. The revolution was sparked by a series of government edicts, including the dissolution of state legislatures, disarmament of state militias, and the abolition of the Constitution of 1824. By December 1835, Texians (Anglo-American settlers) and Tejanos (Texans of Mexican and Indian descent) had captured the town of San Antonio. The revolution was also driven by the desire of Anglo Texans to maintain the institution of slavery, which had been prohibited by Mexican law.
The Texas Declaration of Independence was modelled on the United States Declaration of Independence and included references to United States laws, rights, and customs. The majority of the signatories of the declaration were citizens of the United States, having recently arrived in Texas in violation of Mexico's immigration laws. The declaration also mentions the following reasons for the separation from Mexico: the Mexican Constitution of 1824, which established a federal republic, had been overturned by Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna, who established a centralist military dictatorship.
Following the declaration of independence, the Texans also adopted a constitution for the Republic of Texas. The constitution was drafted by a committee led by George Childress and was based on the United States Constitution. The Republic of Texas existed as an independent republic for nearly a decade before joining the United States as the 28th state in 1845. During this time, Sam Houston was elected as the first president of the Republic of Texas.
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The Mexican Constitution of 1824
The Constitution of 1824 established that the Mexican nation would adopt a representative, popular, federal republic, with the Catholic religion as the state faith. It also established the office of the President of the United Mexican States, along with that of a vice president. The president and vice president were to be elected for four-year terms by the legislative bodies of the states, with the lower house of Congress to elect in the case of a tie or lack of majority. There were numerous limitations on the powers of the president, and Congress was made the final interpreter of the document.
The Constitution of 1824 was modelled on the Hispanic Constitution of 1812, though it also adopted some practical applications from the U.S. Constitution, such as the executive branch. However, the Mexican document was based primarily on Hispanic constitutional and legal precedents. For example, although the Constitution of 1824 created a president, in Mexico, the office was subordinate to the legislature.
In 1835, the Texas Revolution began, with native Tejanos and new settlers in Mexican Texas seeking to overthrow the Mexican government and regain the liberties guaranteed to them under the Constitution of 1824, which had been overturned by Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna. On March 2, 1836, Texas formally declared its independence from Mexico, establishing the Republic of Texas.
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Frequently asked questions
Texas declared its independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836.
The document that declared Texas' independence was called the Texas Declaration of Independence.
The Texas Revolution was the conflict between the Mexican government and the large population of Anglo-American settlers in Texas, which began in October 1835 and resulted in Texas declaring its independence.
Texas' secession was largely due to the Mexican government's increasing centralisation and curtailment of its citizens' rights, particularly regarding immigration from the United States. The Mexican government had also abolished slavery, which was a desire of Anglo Texans to maintain.
Texas' declaration of independence established the Republic of Texas, which was not recognised by any other government at the time. This led to the Battle of the Alamo and the decisive Texian victory at the Battle of San Jacinto in April 1836, forcing Mexico to recognise Texas' independence. Texas existed as an independent republic for nearly a decade before joining the United States as the 28th state in 1845.
