Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Texas was annexed by the United States in 1845, becoming the 28th state. The annexation was the result of a number of factors, including:
Manifest Destiny: The belief that the United States was destined to expand westward to the Pacific Ocean.
Economic Interests: The desire for Texas's natural resources, particularly cotton and land, and the belief that annexation would help to boost the US economy.
Political Considerations: The desire to add more slave states to the Union in order to maintain the balance of power between the North and the South.
The Texas Revolution
Texas had been a part of Mexico since 1821. In 1835, a group of American settlers in Texas revolted against Mexican rule and declared independence. After a year of fighting, the Texans defeated the Mexican army at the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836 and established the Republic of Texas.
The US-Mexico War
The United States recognized the Republic of Texas in 1837, but Mexico did not. In 1845, the US annexed Texas, which led to the US-Mexico War. The war lasted for two years and ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. Under the terms of the treaty, Mexico ceded the Mexican Cession to the United States, which included the present-day states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.