Like many states in the south and west, Texas has an interesting early American past that begins with Native American settlement followed by Spanish colonization. It's also a state that was an independent nation before being admitted to the United States.
Today we explore Texas’ intriguing early American history with Andrew Torget, an Assistant Professor of History at the University of North Texas and author of Seeds of Empire: Cotton, Slavery, and the Transformation of the Texas Borderlands, 1800-1850.
About the Show
Ben Franklin’s World is a podcast about early American history.
It is a show for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world.
Each episode features a conversation with a historian who helps us shed light on important people and events in early American history.
Episode Summary
In this episode, Andrew Torget, an Assistant Professor of History at the University of North Texas and author of Seeds of Empire: Cotton, Slavery, and the Transformation of the Texas Borderlands, 1800-1850, leads us on an exploration of Texas’ early Americans past.
During our exploration, Andrew reveals what the Texas borderlands were and what early life and settlement in them was like; Details about Moses Austin and his plan to settle Texas with Anglo-American farmers; And, the stories of the Texas Revolution and the independent Republic of Texas.
What You’ll Discover
- The Texas borderlands
- Life and early settlement in the Texas borderlands
- Native American peoples who lived in the Texas borderlands
- Moses Austin and his plan to settle Texas
- The Cotton Revolution
- How Anglo-Americans came to settle in Texas
- How the Mexican War for Independence affected Anglo-American settlement of Texas
- Slavery in Texas and the tensions it caused with Mexico
- The role slavery played in fomenting the Texas Revolution
- The Republic of Texas
- Ethnic relations within Texas
- Juan Seguín
- Texas’ admission to the United States
Links to People, Places, and Publications
- Andrew Torget
- Andrew’s website
- Andrew on Twitter: @andrewtorget
- Seeds of Empire: Cotton, Slavery, and the Transformation of the Texas Borderlands, 1800-1850
Sponsor Links
- Cornell University Press
- Episode 046: Ken Miller, Dangerous Guests
- Episode 047: Emily Conroy-Krutz, Christian Imperialism
Complementary Episodes
- Episode 067: John Ryan Fischer, Environmental History of Early California & Hawaii
- Episode 075: The Oregon Trail
- Episode 090: Caitlin Fitz, Age of Revolutions
Time Warp Question
In your opinion, what might have happened if the Republic of Texas had been a success? How would an independent Republic of Texas have affected the Antebellum and later history of the United States?
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Texas was not the only state to be an independent nation before being admitted to the US: Hawaii was also a sovereign nation before being absorbed into the US.
Thanks, Carlos! I appreciate this information.
Did I hear it right, at least some of the early Texas settlers were working the land themselves and only the wealthy ones were using slaves?
You heard correctly. Not all of the anglo farmers who moved to Texas had slaves. Some moved to Texas and worked the land themselves.
Interesting. Any clue if the same happened in other states with more mature plantation economies or if it was a frontier-only system where the cheapness of the land compensated for the higher price of free labour as compared to slave labour?