1. 15.2
2/23

2. Warm up:
Imagine you are in charge of starting a new club at Whitehouse Jr. High
What would be some of the first actions you would need to take?
How would you organize your club?
Who would be in charge?

3. Constitution of 1845 and a New State Government
First chose delegates to the Convention of 1845
United States, Republic of Texas, and Louisiana constitutions used as models
Delegates were intelligent men including judges, lawyers and legislators.
Jose Antonio Navarro was the only native Texan and the only Tejano at the convention
Constitution was ratified in October 1845

4. Steps Taken to Organize the New State Government
Held the convention of 1845
Wrote and approved the Constitution of 1845
Elected state officials including a governor, James Pinckney Henderson.
Turned over government operations to state officials
Turned over several military and public properties to the federal government
Chose two officials to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate

5. New Government
3 Branches
Governor was head of Executive branch, served for 2 years.
Legislative branch included senate and a house of representatives. House members served 2 years and senators 4 years. They met every 2 years or biennially.
The court system consisted of a supreme court and district courts.

6. Voting
Voters chose state leaders
Men over 21 who were white or Tejanos
African Americans and American Indians and women could not vote or hold office.

7. Women rights
Women could not vote
A husband could not sell the family homestead without his wife’s permission
Married women could own property from their parents

8. Other
Banks were banned in Texas
Corporations, companies who sell shares of ownership to investors, needed the legislature’s permission to operate in Texas.
Texas could not have more than $100,000 in debt unless it was an emergency

9. Government control
Army post and public building turned over to the Federal Government
U.S. Representatives were chosen by the legislature. They chose Sam Houston and Thomas J. Rusk

10. The first election
Governor: James Pinckney Henderson
Lieutenant Governor: Albert C. Horton
Chief Justice: John Himphill

11. Branches of Government Voting and Holding Office
TEXAS CONSTITUTION OF 1845
Branches of Government
Voting and Holding Office
Economy
Protections
Executive
Judicial
Legislative
white and Tejano males 21 years of age or older
limited state debt; banned banks
homesteads; women’s property rights