June 23, 1845 – A Joint Resolution of the Congress of Texas Voted in Favor of Annexation by the United States

The territory that included Texas was formerly a part of Mexico. The U.S. extended diplomatic recognition to Texas after its successful war of independence in 1836, but took no action just yet on annexation in order to avoid its own war with Mexico.

On March 1, 1845, the US passed a congressional joint resolution proposing the annexation of Texas to the United States. On June 23, 1845, this day in history, the Texan Congress accepted the US Congress’s joint resolution, and consented to President Jones’ calling of a convention to be held on July 4, 1845. (Anson Jones was the fourth and last President of the Republic of Texas.)

A Texas convention adopted the Constitution of the State of Texas on August 27, 1845. On December 29, 1845, the United States admitted the State of Texas to the Union as a slave state.

Texas-claimed territory as of its annexation in 1845

As Politico reports, one motive behind the push on the Texans’ part for annexation was a $10 million public debt they had incurred — one that the federal government eventually agreed to assume. In exchange, under the Compromise of 1850, the Texans ceded parts of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Wyoming to the federal government.

On February 23, 1861, citizens of Texas voted overwhelmingly to secede from the United States, by 75%. The final major battle of the Civil War was in Texas, the Battle of Palmito Ranch, on May 12–13, 1865.

Today, Texans still debate the status of their state. As the Texas Monthly writes:

Secession is a seasonal discussion in Texas . . . Over the years, its advocates have even approached the mainstream. At the 2016 Texas Republican Convention, the party held a floor debate on whether to endorse the idea. (They decided to stick with the Union, at least for now.)”

Moreover, as the Texas Tribune noted, “In the wake of Britain’s historic vote to leave the European Union — nicknamed the “Brexit” — speculation of a Texit on the horizon has cropped up once again.”

The article adds:

‘The legality of seceding is problematic,’ said Eric McDaniel, associate professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin. ‘The Civil War played a very big role in establishing the power of the federal government and cementing that the federal government has the final say in these issues.’”