When is Texas Independence Day?
Texas Independence Day is a state holiday in Texas that observed on March 2nd irrespective of what day of the week it falls on.
The holiday marks the adoption of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico on March 2nd 1836.
History of Texas Independence Day
Texas is the second-largest state in the United States by size and population and seems such an integral part of the USA that it may surprise those outside the US to find out it has quite a complicated history with many changes in status. In total, six nations have had sovereignty over some or all of the current territory of Texas.
Early in the 16th century, Spanish explorers mapped the coastline of Texas and nominally claimed the land for Spain but didn't settle the region. In the late 17th century, France claimed the region and established Fort St. Louis in 1685. This reinvigorated Spain's interest in the area and the territory was taken back from France.
In 1821 Mexico gained its independence from Spain and claimed Texas as part of its territory.
At that time, Mexico saw the greatest threat to its borders as the Comanche nation. To counteract this, they encouraged American settlers to colonize Texas. In 1821, American Stephen Fuller Austin established a colony in Texas. He arrived with around 300 families and the colony grew rapidly, but also they began to have many disagreements with the Mexican government.
In 1824, a new Mexican constitution had combined Texas with Coahuila to form the province of Coahuila and Texas, which caused further resentment with the colonists who saw themselves as Texian* rather than Mexican.
In 1833 the Texians demanded certain changes including that Texas would become a separate province of Mexico. Stephen Austin was arrested and detained when he travelled to Mexico City to present the demands to President Santa Anna.
The discontent in Texas eventually sparked the Texas Revolution in 1835, with the Texians winning the battle of Gonzales in October of that year.
On March 2nd 1836, the Texans declared their independence from Mexico, forming the Republic of Texas.
Famously, at the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, 180 Texians held off 4,000 Mexican soldiers for thirteen days before being killed on March 6th.
On April 21st 1836 the Texians, led by General Sam Houston, defeated the Mexicans at the battle of San Jacinto. After the battle, the Texians captured the Mexican president and forced him to sign a treaty making Texas independent. Sam Houston was elected president of Texas in 1836. (The city of Houston, Texas was named after him).
Although Texas had declared independence, it remained vulnerable to attacks from Mexico. Sam Houston convinced the Texian leaders that joining the United States was the best option and on December 29th 1845 Texas was admitted as the 28th state.
Houston was removed from office as Governor of Texas when it seceded in 1861, after refusing to take an oath of allegiance to the Confederacy. Houston died in 1863 before he could see Texas return to the Union.
*Texians were residents of Mexican Texas and, later, the Republic of Texas. The residents of Texas after admission to the US are called Texans.
