Texas

Flag of Texas

Texas is a U.S. state located in the south-central part of the country. It is the second-largest state in terms of both geography and population. Texas shares its southwestern border with Mexico, and the Gulf of Mexico lies to the southeast. Historically, its major industries have included agriculture (especially cattle and cotton), lumber, and oil; but the modern economy also includes sectors such as manufacturing, finance, aeronautics, defense, tech, and tourism.

Timeline of Texas History

• Pre-European: Numerous Native American tribes inhabit the area, including the eastern Pueblo, Caddo, Karankawa, Comanche, Wichita, Apache, Bidai, Tonkawa, Kiowa, Coahuiltecan, Carrizo, Kitsai, Tawakoni, Neches, and others

• 1519: Spanish explorer Alonso Alvarez de Pineda maps the Texas coastline

• 1685: Frenchman Robert de La Salle establishes Fort St. Louis

• 1718: San Antonio is founded

• 1821: Mexico (including Texas) gains independence from Spain

• 1835: The Texas Revolution begins

• 1836: The siege on the Alamo occurs; Texas declares independence from Mexico, creating the Republic of Texas

• 1839: Austin becomes the capital

• 1845: Texas is annexed by the United States and becomes the 28th state

• 1861: Texas secedes from the Union and joins the Confederacy during the Civil War

• 1865: Enslaved people in Texas learn of the abolition of slavery on June 19, or “Juneteenth”

• 1870: Texas rejoins the Union

• 1876: The current state constitution takes effect

• 1900: Galveston is destroyed in a hurricane

• 1901: The discovery of oil at Spindletop leads to the Texas oil boom

• 1934-39: The Dust Bowl damages agriculture in parts of Texas, causing thousands to leave the region

• 1949-57: An extended drought leads to increased urbanization in the state

• 1963: President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas

Quick facts:

Capital: Austin
Date of statehood: December 29, 1845 (28th state)
Size (area): 268,581 sq mi (696,241 sq km)
Nickname: The Lone Star State

Learn more about Texas through historical newspapers from our archives. Explore newspaper articles, headlines, images, and other primary sources below.

Articles and Clippings about Texas

Letter to the editor argues that France had the right to Texas, so it should become US territory Sat, Oct 25, 1817 – 2 · Louisiana State Gazette (New Orleans, Louisiana) · Newspapers.comOpinions and "observations" about various Native American tribes in Texas, 1820 Fri, Jun 23, 1820 – 1 · Louisiana State Gazette (New Orleans, Louisiana) · Newspapers.comStephen F. Austin prints detailed newspaper notice to families planning to emigrate to Texas Sat, Nov 24, 1821 – Page 3 · Natchez Gazette (Natchez, Mississippi) · Newspapers.comMan reports that Mexico's passing of an emancipation law has worried slave owners in Texas Thu, Nov 16, 1826 – Page 2 · The Torch Light And Public Advertiser (Hagerstown, Maryland) · Newspapers.comExcerpt from op-ed describing Texas's geography and arguing why it should be annexed by the US Tue, Sep 1, 1829 – 1 · The National Gazette (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) · Newspapers.comNews of a battle during the Texas Revolution; Texans are "almost unanimous for independence" Tue, Dec 15, 1835 – Page 1 · The Arkansas Gazette (Arkansas Post, Arkansas) · Newspapers.comNewspaper prints letter from Samuel Houston about the siege of the Alamo Thu, Apr 14, 1836 – Page 2 · The Long-Island Star (Brooklyn, New York) · Newspapers.comNewspaper prints Texan Declaration of Independence from Mexico Fri, Apr 15, 1836 – 1 · Carroll Free Press (Carrollton, Ohio) · Newspapers.comBritish correspondent discusses opinion on status of Texas and possibility of annexation by US Tue, Jun 6, 1843 – 3 · The Morning Chronicle (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.comCongressional resolution admitting Texas as a U.S. state Wed, Dec 31, 1845 – 3 · The Washington Union (Washington, District of Columbia) · Newspapers.comNewspaper summarizes US senator's reasons for voting against the annexation of Texas by the US Thu, Jan 1, 1846 – 2 · Vermont Phoenix (Brattleboro, Vermont) · Newspapers.comNewspaper editorial hopes passage of Texas statehood will end animosity of the annexation debate Fri, Jan 2, 1846 – Page 2 · The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana) · Newspapers.comTexas passes an "Ordinance of Secession"; Question of seceding from the Union will now go to vote Wed, Feb 20, 1861 – Page 2 · The Dallas Daily Herald (Dallas, Texas) · Newspapers.comTexas newspaper prints official notice that enslaved people are now free ("Juneteenth") Wed, Jun 21, 1865 – Page 1 · The Galveston Daily News (Galveston, Texas) · Newspapers.comFront page newspaper coverage of the 1900 Galveston hurricane Mon, Sep 10, 1900 – Page 1 · El Paso Herald (El Paso, Texas) · Newspapers.comNewspaper account of discovery of oil at Spindletop in 1901, launching oil boom Sat, Jan 12, 1901 – Page 1 · The Houston Post (Houston, Texas) · Newspapers.comObituary for Quanah Parker, Comanche chief; includes one version of his life story Fri, Mar 3, 1911 – Page 1 · The Liberty Vindicator (Liberty, Texas) · Newspapers.comNewspaper article describes 1936 Dust Bowl storm in Texas Panhandle Fri, Feb 14, 1936 – Page 3 · Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, Texas) · Newspapers.com1936 photo of the dome of the Texas state capitol building with Goddess of Liberty statue Sun, Jul 19, 1936 – 87 · The Austin American (Austin, Texas) · Newspapers.com1953 article says "Texas experiencing worst drought in history" Sun, Jun 28, 1953 – Page 11 · Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, Texas) · Newspapers.comSupreme Court rules in Hernandez v. Texas that Mexican-Americans are protected under 14th amendment Tue, May 4, 1954 – 1 · The Austin American (Austin, Texas) · Newspapers.comNewspaper article says Texas is "changing segregation policies, but not uniformly" Sun, Mar 4, 1956 – 6 · The Austin American (Austin, Texas) · Newspapers.comLulu Belle Madison White leads campus protest against Texas governor's opposition to integration Mon, Mar 19, 1956 – 3 · El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas) · Newspapers.comNewspaper front page coverage of the John F. Kennedy assassination in Dallas, Texas Sat, Nov 23, 1963 – 1 · El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas) · Newspapers.comBiographical sketches and images of famous "Mexican Texans," including Lorenzo de Zavala Sun, Oct 10, 1971 – Page 39 · Waco Tribune-Herald (Waco, Texas) · Newspapers.com"Historian hopes to lift black heritage from obscurity" in Texas Sun, Feb 9, 1992 – 11 · Austin American-Statesman (Austin, Texas) · Newspapers.comNewspaper front page coverage of 2017's Hurricane Harvey Mon, Aug 28, 2017 – A1 · Austin American-Statesman (Austin, Texas) · Newspapers.com