Independence and Texas
Last weekend there were big doings here in the Lone Star State.
Folks ate lots of barbecue and chili and/or Tex-Mex and Mexican food. Many indulged in a Shiner Bock and Lone Star beers. And, of course, pecan pie (Texas’ state nut) or a Texas sheet cake for dessert.
You see, March 2 marked the 182nd anniversary of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico. That’s a big deal to native Texans.
It wasn’t until April 21, 1836, when the outnumbered and outgunned Texians defeated General Santa Anna’s soldiers on the fields of San Jacinto that independence declared became independence secured.
Maybe you didn’t know Texas was an independent sovereignty once. Let me fill you in…
The Republic of Texas existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846. Its boundaries were Mexico, the Gulf of Mexico, two U.S. states Louisiana and Arkansas, and U.S. territories that included parts of current Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming.
See, Texas has always been a BIG place.
Citizens of the Republic of Texas were known as Texians. Residents of the modern state of Texas called Texans.
The first Republic flag was known as “The Burnet Flag,” a dark blue background with a single yellow star in the center. The familiar red, white, and blue Texas flag was adopted in 1839.
“Six flags over Texas” is more than just a theme park in Texas. Historically, six different flags have flown here:
- The Kingdom of Spain (1519 – 1685 and 1690 – 1821)
- The Kingdom of France (1685 – 1690)
- The Mexican Federal Republic (1821 – 1836)
- The Republic of Texas (1836 – 1845)
- The Confederate States of America (1861 – 1865)
- The United States of America 1845 – 1861 and 1865 – present
Here’s the national anthem (now the official state song) of Texas, “Texas, Our Texas.” It was written in 1924 by William J. Marsh, who was born in Liverpool, England, and emigrated to Texas as a young man, and Gladys Yoakum Wright, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, and selected as the state song by a concurrent resolution of the Texas Legislature in 1929 following a statewide competition.
Probably more Texas history than you wanted to know, but being a native whose family was among the early settlers, I just couldn’t stop myself. You know how Texans can be.