One of the most unique
situations during the period of the Civil War in America was
the involvement of the state of Texas in the Confederacy.
Although it was once its own Republic separate from the
United States of America through annexation, Texas was not
entirely unique when it came to the institution of slavery. Just
like in all other southern states, slavery, and the use of slave
labor, was a major factor of the states agricultural economy.
During the years around and through the Civil War, Texas
became a home for many transient southerners in search of
sanctuary from the almost enviable furthering of
emancipation. Long before the war, Texas had been the
stomping ground for runaway slaves enroute to Mexico and
in search of freedom. The state of Texas was not only one of
the new frontier territories toward the west but it became
one of the final places in America were slavery was
practiced. Because of its geography much of Texas
remained untouched and unsettled. Many adventurous
plantation owners felt it necessary to keep news of the war
and emancipation from their slaves as much as a year after
the end of the war.(Campbell 249) The topic I have chosen
for my research to discuss the history of slavery in Texas
during the years of the Civil War. How the institution was
altered because of the Civil War and the process by which
emancipation was handed to black -Texans is the focus of
my report. I would like to uncover how and why slave labor
was used to both protect the state, the Confederacy and the
institution that held the future of the American Negro forever.
Well before the beginning of the Civil War, Texas and some
of its surrounding territories were property of Spain just like
its southern neighbor, Mexico. Soon after realizing their
particular suppression by Spain, Mexico fought for, and won
its independence from its mother country. Mexico now had
control of their country and the territory of Texas. As more
Americans moved west and into Texas it became evident
that there was going to be a continued clash between
Mexico and the white frontiersmen who quickly flooded
certain areas. The American government wanted to purchase
this valuable land but eventually it was taken by American
frontiersmen where it was declared its own realm. Fearful of
the loss of power if allowed into the Union, Texas expressed
in 1836 ...
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...tely unchanged by wartime activates. Although
thousands of slaves were impressed for wartime use only a
few lost their lives while fortifying and working along the
front lines of southern Texas. As for the vast majority of
slaves who were not impressed they went along with their
normal production during the Civil War as if freedom was
the last thing they expected in the next few years. Some
slaves in Texas did not even know about the war until it had
been over for months, some revolted long before. As the
armies of Texas argued over whether it should send its
troops to other states to fight, the institution of slavery went
full steam ahead. After the end of the war many blacks
began to realize the hatred that faced them and how many
whites in Texas would do anything in order to ensure that
they(whites) would always be the ruling class. Opportunity
did not come easy to blacks, but prejudice did. Almost until
the very end of the Civil War, Texans seemed to be denying
the fact that an end coming to their precious "right" to own
and oppress their "inferior" and "heathen" God-given
servants. Courtesy of chew (1995) University of Maryland
James K. Polk was one of many that felt extremely strong about Texas joining the Union. Silbey uses direct quotes from politicians gives a deeper outlook into Texas annexation. “That there is a large majority who would be glad to see Texas, in some way or another, united to this country, there can be no doubt.” (Silbey 81) Shortly after this widespread idea of Texas joining the country Congress was overwhelmed with bills to make Texas’s entry accomplished.
It is very clear that Texans supported slavery, were advocates for states’ rights, and were very passionate for Texas. These are probably the main reasons for Texans marching off into the Civil War. These also may have been the reasons why Texans stayed fighting the bloody battle of America. During the Civil War, the South and the North were enemies, but today, Texas can live up to it’s origins-Tejas; those who are
On June 23, 1845, the Republic of Texas was annexed to the U.S. as a slave state. Foley notes "the annexation of Texas as a slave state…became the great white hope of northern expansionists anxious to emancipate the nation from blacks, who, it was hoped, would find a home among the kindred population of 'colored races' in Mexico."(20) But rather than uniting as kindred races, discord between poor whites, African Americans and Mexicans resulted from competition for farmland as either tenant farmers or sharecroppers.
primarily being the large cotton plantations of the south. & nbsp ; & nbsp ; & nbsp ; & nbsp ; & nbsp ; Several people tried to resolve the issue of slavery with and bills that set clear rules and laws to appeal to both sides. The most prominently being the Missouri compromise. This document sets the standard for slavery at the time. It also managed to further divide the country into two. opposing groups geographically separated by the 36 degree 30 minute line.
Between 1800 and 1860 slavery in the American South had become a ‘peculiar institution’ during these times. Although it may have seemed that the worst was over when it came to slavery, it had just begun. The time gap within 1800 and 1860 had slavery at an all time high from what it looks like. As soon as the cotton production had become a long staple trade source it gave more reason for slavery to exist. Varieties of slavery were instituted as well, especially once international slave trading was banned in America after 1808, they had to think of a way to keep it going – which they did. Nonetheless, slavery in the American South had never declined; it may have just come to a halt for a long while, but during this time between 1800 and 1860, it shows it could have been at an all time high.
From the early days of pioneers and settlers, thousands of Americans began to move into what would become Texas. The Mexican government was wanting to populate the Texas area to increase the economy. For a long period of time the Mexican government had placed many laws on the territory, but none that were deeply inforced. Finally when a new dictatorship came into power, they began to enforce the laws. Slavery among other issues
During the period of time between 1789 and 1840, there were a lot of major changes occurring on the issue of slavery such as the impact it had towards the economy and the status of slaves in general. There were two types of African Americans slaves during the era, either doing hard cheap labor in a plantation usually owned by a white and being enslaved, or free. Undoubtedly, the enslaved African Americans worked vigorously receiving minimal pay, while on the other hand, the free ones had quite a different lifestyle. The free ones had more freedom, money, land/power, are healthier, younger and some even own plantations. In addition, in 1820 the Missouri compromise took into effect, which made it so states North of the 36°30′ parallel would be free and South would be slave and helped give way to new laws regarding the issue of slavery.
Narrative History of Texas Annexation, Secession, and Readmission to the Union. Texans voted in favor of annexation to the United States in the first election following independence in 1836. However, throughout the Republic period (1836-1845) no treaty of annexation negotiated between the Republic and the United States was ratified by both nations. When all attempts to arrive at a formal annexation treaty failed, the United States Congress passed--after much debate and only a simple majority--a Joint Resolution for Annexing Texas to the United States. Under these terms, Texas would keep both its public lands and its public debt, it would have the power to divide into four additional states "of convenient size" in the future if it so desired, and it would deliver all military, postal, and customs facilities and authority to the United States government.
I grew up in the "Land of Lincoln" in a rural town near Springfield, Illinois. It had always been common knowledge that it was on January 1, 1863 that Abraham Lincoln freed all slaves with his Emancipation Proclamation. Though, it had never occurred to me that this was not the case in Texas. It was not until June 19, 1865 when the Union General Gordon Granger arrived at Galveston, Texas with the good news. His first order of business in Galveston was to read the General Order Number 3 to the people of Texas freeing the last 250, 000 slaves, which read as follows:
The American Revolution was a “light at the end of the tunnel” for slaves, or at least some. African Americans played a huge part in the war for both sides. Lord Dunmore, a governor of Virginia, promised freedom to any slave that enlisted into the British army. Colonists’ previously denied enlistment to African American’s because of the response of the South, but hesitantly changed their minds in fear of slaves rebelling against them. The north had become to despise slavery and wanted it gone. On the contrary, the booming cash crops of the south were making huge profits for landowners, making slavery widely popular. After the war, slaves began to petition the government for their freedom using the ideas of the Declaration of Independence,” including the idea of natural rights and the notion that government rested on the consent of the governed.” (Keene 122). The north began to fr...
“Slavery in the United States.” Encyclopaedia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
In 1845 the U.S attempted to Annex Texas. Basically America wanted Texas to become one of the states rather then and independent nation by itself. At this time Texas was an independent nation that was not a part of America or Mexico. Mexico wanted to keep Texas neutral if not a part of its own country. When the U.S attempted to annex Texas Mexico became outraged, " In November 1843 Mexico had warned that if the United States should commit the 'unheard-of aggression' of seizing an integral part of 'Mexican territory' Mexico would declare war " (Bound for the Rio Grande, 62). Despite the warning the U.S attempted to annex Texas. In doing so Mexico retaliated by breaking off all diplomatic relations with the U.S. Mexico felt that the U.S was insulting them by not taking them seriously when they threatened with war. So at this point America showed a very large interest in possessing Texas. America was very close to actually acquiring Texas when they made their first mistake in the war.
There were 3 battles in Texas during the Civil War: Battle Of Sabine Pass, Battle of Galveston, and the Battle of Palmito Ranch. The Battle of Sabine Pass took place near the Sabine River, The Battle Of Galveston took place on Galveston Harbor, and The Battle Of Palmito Ranch took place near the Rio Grande river.
Slavery is an institution in which people are forced into servitude against their will. It started out in states close to the Eastern seaboard such as Virginia because it had direct paths to slave centers such as Africa and the West Indies. These states, as slavery progressed all the way down to Texas, had 1 thing in common. Rich soil. Exactly the kind of soil needed to produce crops like tobacco, cotton, sugar canes in tremendous amounts. Since plantation owners couldn’t work these fields by themselves, they bought slaves to do it for them. The output of the slaves’ labor enhanced the economy so much that some politicians of the time were convinced that the nation’s livelihood depended on this servitude. As good as it seemed for the slaveowners, it was a horrendous experience for the people who had the short straw picked out for them, as Sarah Ford’s experience shows.
Confusion abounded in the still-smoldering South about the precise meaning of “freedom” for blacks. Emancipation took effect haltingly and unevenly in different parts of the conquered Confederacy. As Union armies marched in and out of various localities, many blacks found themselves emancipated and then re-enslaved. Blacks from one Texas county fleeing to the free soil of the liberated county next door were attacked by slave owners as they swam across the river that marked the county line. The next day trees along the riverbank were bent with swinging corpses – a grisly warning to others dreaming of liberty. Other planters resisted emancipation more legalistically, stubbornly protesting that slavery was lawful until state legislatures or the Supreme Court declared otherwise. For many slaves the shackles of slavery were not struck off in a mighty single blow but had to be broken link by link.