A few years after the Mexican-American War, Texas was a huge state, but it was deep in debt from the battles and wars fought. The U.S. Congress came up with a plan to help Texas – they would buy some land from Texas for $10,000,000.
-Read about the Compromise of 1850 on Lone Star Junction. Check out the maps. Can you imagine the state of Texas looking like one of the other plans shown there?
-Open your North America Through Time to page 8. What has happened to make the map of 1850 look the way it does? Also, notice that Texas is now in the shape that we all know and love!
When we fast forward 10 years to the 1860s, Texas and other Southern states have decided to secede from the United States. What does secede mean? Let’s look it up.
Why did they want to secede?
-Head over to this website and scroll down to read the “Why did the Southern States leave” section to find out the reasons states were seceding from the United States.
-Watch this video about Texas’ secession to learn more.
After Texas seceded they joined the Confederate States of America, which were all still considered independent states, but were cooperating with the other Confederate states to fight against the Union.
-Open your North America Through Time to page 9. What has happened to make the map of 1861 look the way it does?
-While we are not studying the Civil War right now, you can read the first paragraph on this page to learn a little more about it.
Following the civil war, there was a Reconstruction period. Texas had to be formally re-accepted into the United States by the President. There were also big changes in the Texans’ way of life –
- Slavery was now abolished (it was illegal) and former slaves and slave owners were learning how to get along.
- The state government had to be re-established with leaders elected by the voters.
-Let’s put these events on our timeline from section 9 of the Lone Star Junction Timeline.
Our timeline is finished!
-Open your North America Through Time booklet to page 10. What has happened to make the map of 1865 look the way it does?
-Head over to the Texas History Writing Assignments and answer the questions for Texas History 12.
Free Fun Texas History 