What are some important Texas dates?

September 28, 1836: Texas declares independence from Mexico.

March 2, 1836: The Texas Declaration of Independence is signed.

April 21, 1836: The Battle of San Jacinto, which led to Texas independence, takes place.

December 29, 1845: Texas is annexed by the United States.

March 2, 1848: The Mexican-American War ends with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, by which Mexico ceded what are now the southwestern United States, including Texas, to the United States.

February 23, 1861: Texas secedes from the Union, joining the Confederate States of America.

April 9, 1865: Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrenders to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the Civil War.

June 19, 1865: Union forces occupy Texas, and the state begins the process of Reconstruction.

September 1, 1870: Texas is readmitted to the Union.

January 10, 1874: The state capitol moves to its current location in Austin, the state capital.

January 1, 1876: The first oil well in Texas is drilled near Corsicana in Navarro County.

September 8, 1900: The great Galveston hurricane, one of the deadliest natural disasters in American history, kills an estimated 6,000 people.

1917-1918: Texans play a significant role in the U.S. entry into and participation in World War I.

1940-1945: Texas' economy soars as it becomes a major center for military production and oil refining during World War II.

1950s: Texas experiences rapid economic growth, due in part to the expansion of the oil and gas industry and the construction of major infrastructure projects such as the Texas Turnpike.

1960s-1970s: Civil rights movements and social change sweep the nation, and Texas is no exception, as the Chicano Movement and women's rights activists fight for equality.

1980s-1990s: Texas continues to experience economic growth, particularly in the technology, healthcare, and financial industries.

1993: The World Trade Center bombing takes place in New York City, with some of the bombers trained in Texas.

2001: The September 11th attacks occur, and Texas plays a central role in the response, with President George W. Bush giving his address to the nation from the Oval Office and the recovery efforts at the Pentagon.

2003: The United States invades Iraq, beginning a long conflict that involves many Texas-based military personnel.

2005: Hurricane Katrina devastates the Gulf Coast, with Texas cities such as Houston and Galveston providing aid and shelter to evacuees.

2008-2009: The global financial crisis leads to economic recession in Texas.

2012: Texas executes its first death row inmate in two years, drawing attention to the state's use of the death penalty.

2015: Texas becomes the first state in the U.S. to experience over $1 trillion in annual economic output.

2017: Hurricane Harvey causes widespread flooding and damage in Texas, particularly in Houston and the Gulf Coast region.

2020: Texas experiences a severe winter storm that leads to power outages and widespread disruption, particularly in the central and northern regions of the state.