Should Austin or Houston Be the Capital of Texas?

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The city of Austin became the capital of Texas in 1838 when two of Sam Houston’s protégés James Collingsworth and Peter Grayson ran against his nemesis Mirabeau B. Lamar. (Lomax paragraph 3, 2013) It didn’t become official till 1846 when it officially became a capitol. I think Austin was chosen as the capital over more thriving cities because of how the story of Stephen F. Austin actions against the Mexican government. He represented a huge part of the Texas Anglo population at the time as well. (Gibson, Robinson, pg. 36 para. 2) Not to mention that in 1835 he resisted the Mexican troops and due to this it lead to the independence of Texas from Mexico. (Gibson, Robinson, pg. 37 para. 5) As a result of March 16, 1836 the Constitution of Texas was born. (Gibson, Robinson, pg. 37 para. 7) A huge reason why I think Austin was chosen the capital instead of a great city like Houston was due to Stephen F. Austin’s contribution with Texas, especially when he contributed to the Anglo population in the Texas region in 1821 when Mexico won its independence from Spain. (Gibson, Robinson, pg. 36 para. 1) Another reason was when President Mirabeau B. Lamar, the president of Texas at the time, chose to name it after Stephen F. Austin who he called the “father of Texas”, but what really made the location perfect for the city of Austin was the beauty the land had when the location was being chosen.(austinrelocationguide.com para. 3, 2012) But others such as Sam Houston disagreed about the location; he even tried to move the capitol to Houston because at the time it was really vulnerable to Mexican troops attacking and the local Indians as well.(Barker para.5, 2012) Nonetheless I think overall that the history of the city’s name has more th...

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