Native American Tribes

Many Native American tribes lived in Texas prior to European settlement. For example, the largest group was the Caddos, who were farmers and hunters that lived in the pine forests. The Arkokisas, Attacapas, Bidais, Deadoses and Karankawas lived on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The Coahuiltecans lived on the grasslands of the west. The Tonkawans, Apache, Comanche, Kiowa inhabited the Great Plains and depended on buffalo for basic life needs. Native American tribes are the source of the state’s namesake. The word "Tejas" is the Spanish pronunciation of a Caddo-word meaning "friend." When the Europeans came to Texas, several of these tribes did not survive. Many native groups died from disease brought by the Europeans. Others were killed in land disputes. Today many Native American Texans live in cities, and a few groups, such as the Tigua and the Alabama-Coushattas, live on reservations.

Spain

1519-1821
The Spanish flag was the first European marker to fly over Texas. Many Spanish conquistadors and missionaries came to Texas. The conquistadors searched for gold and land, while the missionaries came to Christianize the native tribes. The first European to reach Texas was probably Alsono Álvarez de Piñeda, a Spanish sea captain who arrived in 1519. Spaniard Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca came in 1528 to search for cities of gold. The hopes of gold also led Francisco Vásquez de Coronado to travel through Texas to Kansas in the 1540s. However, it was Juan de Oñate who formally claimed Texas for Spain in 1598. The first permanent settlement took place in 1682, when the town of Ysleta, near El Paso, was settled.

France

1685-1763
The French flag was the second European marker to fly over the Lone Star State. Frenchman Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle navigated the Mississippi River from the Ohio Valley to the Gulf of Mexico in 1682. He returned to France to receive a royal commission to establish a French empire in the Southwest. La Salle left France in 1684 and sailed west, searching again for the mouth of the Mississippi River. He missed the Mississippi by 400 miles and landed on Texas’ coast in Matagorda Bay in 1685. This determined Frenchman built a wooden stockade, hoisted the fleur-de-lis and established Fort San Louis. The settlement lasted only a few years. La Salle died while exploring Texas by land. He was killed in an ambush by his own men near what is now known as Navasota. One of La Salle’s ships, La Belle, was recently excavated in Matagorada Bay.

Mexico

1821-1836
The Mexican flag began to fly over Texas when Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821. To stay in Texas, American settlers were required to accept Mexican citizenship and the Roman Catholic religion. More and more Americans, however, settled in Texas. Instead of becoming a prosperous Mexican province, Texas looked like a United States outpost. When Santa Anna became the leader of Mexico, clashes between the Texans and the Mexican government grew tense. At first the Texans asked to become an independent Mexican state. After diplomatic efforts failed, the Texans declared independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836. The ensuing war was brief but brutal. Santa Anna and his men defeated the Texans at the Alamo on March 6, 1836, and massacred 300 Texas prisoners at Goliad a few days later. The Texans, however, won independence from Mexico on April 21, 1836, after a victory over Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto. Today Texas and Mexico are friendly neighbors. Texas leads the United States in exports to Mexico, and more than 4 million people of Hispanic descent live in Texas.

Republic
of Texas

1836-1845
The Lone Star Flag flew over the Republic of Texas from 1836 to 1845. Texas gained its independence from Mexico on April 21, 1836, after a war between Texas settlers and the Mexican government. The Republic of Texas government was patterned after the United States government. The president of the Republic served three-year terms. He represented the executive branch of the Republic and oversaw the army, navy and militia. Members of the House of Representatives served one-year terms while senators served three-year terms. Issues facing the Republic included settling Texas boundary disputes, creating and issuing legal tender, establishing a permanent capital, paying debts, selling land and defending citizens from potential attacks from Mexico. Annexation by the United States became a solution to many of the Republic’s problems. Texas became the 28th state to enter the Union on December 28, 1845.

Confederacy

1861-1865
The Confederate flag flew over Texas from 1861 to 1865 during the Civil War. Texas seceded from the United States in 1861 to join the Confederacy. Governor Sam Houston refused to take an oath to the Confederacy and stepped down from office. Other Texas leaders such as former governor Elisha Pease and William Marsh Rice, founder of Rice University, quietly supported the Union. Although most Civil War battles took place east of the Mississippi River, about 90,000 Texans saw military service. During the war there was a shortage of coffee, medicine, clothing, shoes and other products. Many Texas women and children were left alone to defend and protect their households. The Civil War ended in 1865. Texas officially was readmitted to the United States on March 30, 1870, after ratifying the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments.

United States

1845-1861, 1870-present
The stars and stripes first flew over Texas from 1845 to 1861. Following annexation, Texas became the 28th state to join the Union on December 28, 1845. Texas was allowed to keep her public land but required to pay her own debts. Texas later joined the Confederacy in 1861 during the Civil War. Texas officially rejoined the Union in 1870 after ratifying the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments. The Civil War devastated the Texas economy. However, the great cattle drives of the 1870s and 1880s and the oil boom of the early decades of the 20th century made Texas a prosperous state. Today Texas is a leader in the technology industry. It is home to several technology corporations and computer chip companies. Texas boasts more than 19 million people and its gross state product is more than $417 billion.