Why Texas is Called the Lone Star State

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Why Texas is Called the Lone Star State

Every state has a moniker or nickname; California is the Golden State, which was inspired by the 1849 Gold Rush, New York has its nickname the Empire State and whose source is unknown, puzzling many historians.

Texas is known as The Lone Star State, a homage to the Texas flag when it broke away from Mexico and declared itself as an independent republic in 1836.

The lone star flag “The National Standard of Texas” featured a prominent lone star on a blue background. It was in 2015 when State Governor Gregg Abbott signed House Concurrent Resolution 78 formally declaring the “Lone Star State” as Texas’ official nickname. 

A Brief History of Texas State

The areas of the state of Texas were inhabited as long as 37,000 years ago, most of them were hunters who survived by hunting wild game. In the fertile areas of East Texas, some of the native American tribes established permanent villages and farms. They also developed political and religious systems.

The state of Texas formed a loose confederation called the Caddo confederacy to preserve peace and ensure mutual protection. (The name Texas comes from the Caddo word Tejas which means “hello friends”.)

A Brief History of Texas

In 1528 European explorers entered the area which was sparsely populated. In the late 17th to 18th century Spain sent expeditions and built forts and missions, much of these within western, central, and eastern parts of Texas. It appointed its first Governor in 1690. From 1690 to 1821, the area became known as Spanish Texas.

North Texas is represents Dallas, Fort Worth and neighbouring areas.

In 1685 French explorer Robert Cavelier de La Salle established a short-lived fort in southeastern Texas. This prompted Spain to launch expeditions to find and destroy the French colony. Finding it in ruins the Spanish would later build a fort and a mission in the same location. By 1762 France would cede its claim over territories west of the Mississippi River (including Texas) to Spain.

During Spanish rule, Texas would be placed under the Viceroyalty of New Spain. The province called New Philippines (Nuevo Reino de Pilipinas) was the name of the Spanish territory north of the Medina River (located in now south central Texas). Though less popular than the name Texas, New Philippines would be the official name of the territory until the end of Spanish rule.

In 1821 Mexico gained its independence, and the state of Texas became a Mexican province called Coahuila y Tejas. Mexico enacted a General Colonization Law which welcomed immigrants from other countries to settle into the newly independent nation.

This allowed settlers from the United States to immigrate to the state of Texas. By the 1830s American settlers' conflict with the Mexican Government led to the Texas Revolution of 1835.

On March 2, 1836, Texan colonists declared their independence creating the Republic of Texas. In the Battle of San Jacinto, the Texan Army under General Sam Houston defeated the Mexican force led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna who was captured the day after the decisive battle.

Santa Anna’s capture led to the signing of the peace treaty which stipulated that the Mexican Army leave Texas. The treaty paved the way for the Republic of Texas to become an independent nation.

Even during its time as an independent republic, Texas had sought annexation by the United States. By 1845 the Republic was annexed by the United States. On Dec. 29, 1845, it became the 28th state.

In 1861 Texas seceded from the United States. Texas joined the slave states which comprised the Confederate States of America. The last battle of the civil war, the Battle of Palmito Ranch was fought on Texas soil.

50 Things to Love About the Lone Star State

The Lone Star Flag

For roughly 9 years, Texas was an independent nation that was able to successfully free itself from Mexican rule.

The first official Texas flag was called the Burnet flag as the design was suggested by Texan president David Burnet. It had a blue field with a large central gold star. It was lone star flag from 1836 to 1839.

The Republican Flag

The official state flag was approved in 1839 by Texan President Mirabeau Lamar.

It was described as "a blue perpendicular stripe of the width of one-third of the whole length of the flag and a white star of five points in the center thereof and two horizontal stripes of equal length and breadth, the upper stripe of white, the lower of red, of the length of two-thirds of the length of the whole flag."

The color white in the Texas flag means peace, the red in the flag means war and blue denotes friendship or loyalty. While the singular five-pointed star in the Texas flag represents Texas as the Lone Star State which was established years before Texas gained its independence from Mexico.

The five points of the star were said to be the five attributes of a good Texan: Loyalty, Prudence, fortitude, broadmindedness, and righteousness. The Texan flag is the only state flag in the United States which was used as a flag of an independent country.

Celebrating National Texas Day

The Lone Star State

There were many stories as to why the five-pointed star came to symbolize Texas. According to one story, the original lone star came into existence in 1821 when Henry Smith, the first American-born Governor of Mexican Texas was signing some important documents and came to realize he needed a seal.

He saw his overcoat has five-pointed stars on the buttons to which he cut one of the buttons and stamped it on the documents. And that is how Lone Star originated.

The Lone Star

It was also said the star was a representation of how Texas was the only state to demand its rights from Mexico. The lone star would become the defining symbol of the state. The nickname “The Lone Star State” was more of a traditional moniker, until Governor Abbott declared it the official state nickname in 2015.

What Is Texas Known For: 30 Things Texas Is Famous For

Nickname "Lone Star State"

There are a lot of different interpretations of what happened, but the narrative usually starts south of the border.

In the distant past, Texas was one of the provinces that made up Mexico. Coahuila and Tejas was the name given to the region that would eventually become the state of Texas.

This region was comprised of two distinct parts. It is said that the first flag to represent this region included two golden stars in the center of the Mexican flag's traditional colors of red, green, and white.

In 1835 and 1836, Texas state’s struggle was focused on winning its independence from Mexico. Due to their success, the newly independent Republic of Texas received a new flag with a lone star with the word "Texas" written prominently across it for the first time. This Texas flag and all future variants included a solitary star in the center, representing resistance, pride, and, most importantly, independence.

On December 29, 1845, Texas became the 28th state to join the Union as a free and independent nation. Even though they are no longer citizens of a republic that stands independently, Texans continue to take pride in their rugged individuality and independent spirit.

On January 4, 1889, a Senate committee paid $10 to Austin artist Peter Krag to create a color drawing of a new red, white, and blue flag for Texas — its lone star, of course. Krag's drawing became the prototype of the same flag that still represents the lone star state today.

On January 4, 1889, a Senate committee paid $10 to Austin artist Peter Krag to create a color drawing of a new red, white, and blue flag for the lone star state.

People that are content to make Texas their home continue to embody the "Lone Star State" mentality, as could be expected. Texas was one of the first states in the United States to enact energy deregulation, which paved the way for the majority of Texans to have the ability to choose their power supplier.

Everything is Big in Texas

Everyone knows that Texans like to talk about how great their state is. But the saying "Large hats, big hair, or big attitudes aren't the only things that are bigger in Texas" doesn't just mean those things. It comes from the fact that the state is made up of a very large area.

With a total of 268,820 square miles. The lone star state is second only to Alaska in total land area. But there are more than sixty times as many people in the state of Texas as in Alaska. The Texas Census Bureau thinks that by 2020, about 29 million people will be living in the state.

The only state with more people than Texas is California, and three cities in Texas are among the ten most populous in the United States. Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio are the names of these cities. The lone star state's economy is about the same size as India's, which makes it one of the biggest in the world.

As common with most states, the land of Texas also has a unique nickname. "The Lone Star State" is what people call it. If you've thought about the American flag, you know that each star stands for a different state.

By this reasoning, it's easy to see that for Texas to be called the "The Lone Star State," it must have gone through some hard times in the past. We need to jump into a long history lesson to learn more about how Texas got its name.

Facts About Texas That Will Blow You Away

The European Settlement

Europeans have lived in Texas for hundreds of years. When the Spanish moved into the area, many native clans lived there. The Spanish settlers used the Caddo word "Taysha" to talk about the people who lived there. Taysha means "friend" or "ally" in the Caddo language. It’s ironic how the settlers considered natives their friends and kept hoarding land!

Spain and France both tried to take control of the huge land area that is now the state of Texas or the lone star state. In the 1800s, the US bought Louisiana, but it wasn't clear what would happen to Texas. British and Spanish settlers lived near the US, and neither group was very friendly. Everyone could see that the US kept growing because of greed. It wanted a large area of land that no one, especially Europeans, could share with it.

Mexico's Independence

Napoleon took over Spain in the year 1808. This caused the Spanish settlers to lose their ground in colonizing Texas. In the end, Mexico started a revolution, and in 1810, it became independent. Mexican-Americans wanted Texas to be an independent state with a green flag, but Spain would not give up Texas no matter what. But in 1819, Spain gave Florida to the United States and agreed to set up borders between the two countries.

Everything seemed to be fine until Spain lost control of its land, which led to the creation of many Latin American republics. In 1824, Mexico got a new constitution, and the lone star state was one of the states that made up what is now called Mexican Texas.

Filibusters

A filibuster is an action that makes it hard for a legislative body to move forward. In the Texas revolution, the filibusters were the armed Americans who would take land by force even though there was peace. Why are these people important? In a minute, we'll know.

Mexico hardly had any people living there. It was at risk of invasion by European forces who sought to settle in those empty lands. Guadalupe Victoria, president of Mexico at the time, set up a system of empresarios to solve this problem.

An empresario was a person who was put in charge of helping people from the US move to Mexican Texas. Empresarios were paid from the mainland. Stephen Austin was able to get 300 people from the US to visit him.

Now, people call him the "father of Texas." Under this plan, the American filibusters could buy cheap land in Texas and move there. There were, of course, some rules that people had to follow to live in Mexican Texas.

  • They would have to live there for at least ten years.

  • Catholicism would be their religion.

  • They would have to learn Spanish and back the government of New Mexico.

This system turned out to be very helpful. Within a few years, Mexican Texans had grown by ten times. At one time, there were more Texans or Texians than people born in Mexico. Most immigrants didn't fit in or were criminals.

The Business Leaders

The empresarios did a good job of getting people to move to the land from the US. Mexico was starting to make money off Texas, its new border. Hayden Edwards, an empresario, decided that his settlement should be independent. This broke the short-lived peace. The other empresarios quickly ended the trouble, but they lost the respect of the people in charge in Mexico.

In 1789, the Mexican government issued a ban on slavery. This surprised the Texans, just as it did to many enslaved people. People in Texas held protests and even threatened to rise against the government. So, the government had to be a little more lenient. Still, the Mexican government saw Texas as a place with many problems. The US tried to buy Texas from Mexico twice, but both times President Guadalupe Victoria said no.

President Victoria's term ended the same year, which led to many coups and battles between rebels. Some people wanted a central government, while others wanted a state like the US. Texas was in a terrible state.

The Rule of Dictators

In 1830, the laws were changed so that no more people from the United States could move to Texas. People were upset but gave up because they knew what was coming next was worse. Antonio Lopéz de Santa Anna, a politician, and former soldier, was chosen as the president because he favored a federal government. After a year, Santa Anna showed how much of a dictator he was by removing all military leaders.

Santa Anna was a very cruel man. He was not kind to anyone who tried to stop him. He told his men to take everything they could from the cities they attacked. In 1835, he told the Gonzales militia to take back a military cannon given to them.

When the army got to Gonzales, everyone saw banners with one star, a silhouette of a cannon, and the words "come and take it" written on them. This is where you'll get the idea behind "Lone Star."

The Alamo battle

The people of Texas chose Sam Houston to lead their army. Even though they were full of hope, they had no chance against Santa Anna's power. At the Alamo, Houston tried to build a fort, which led to a massacre. Mexicans killed the old generals, and Santa Anna thought the Texians were finally defeated.

The army leader, took advantage of Santa Anna's harshness and spread the slogans "Remember the Alamo" and "Remember Goliad." He got as many men as possible and set up a trap for the Mexican army. This time, they didn't show any kindness.

Only 11 Texans died, while 625 Mexicans did. Santa Anna was caught, and even though he should have been killed, he was forced to sign Texas' freedom. He was held for three weeks until the Mexican army gave up on the Rio Grande and let him go.

There was a change in the border, and Texas became a republic. At that time, it had a flag with just one star, which is how it got its name.

For almost ten years, the Republic of Texas was its own country. It wanted to join the US, but that was easier to say than to do. Mexico did not accept it, and the US did not know what to do. Sam Houston was the president of the Republic of Texas, but he stepped down when the United States took over in 1845. Texas, known as the "Lone Star State," was the 28th state to join the Union.

What Does The Nickname Mean?

In theory, everything! Nicknames are often based on how good something is, but that wasn't the case with Texas. The name Texas came into existence because of all the bloodshed, civil wars, rebellions, and other bad things.

Since it went through so much, it deserves to be called the Lone Star because it stood up to everything. People still talk about the Alamo, and the cannon is still there. What happened will never be forgotten, but Texans have always made their Lone Star proud.

Like most other states, Texas is known by its strange name. People often call the state "The Lone Star State." If you've ever thought about the American flag, you probably know that each star represents a different state.

From this line of thought, it's easy to see that Texas had to solve some hard historical problems before it could call itself the "Lone Star State." Before we can learn more about how Texas got its name, we need to talk for a long time about its past.

Gearing Up for St. Patrick's Day with Irish Texan Cuisine

What Does it Mean to Say You are a "Lone Star"?

The "lone star" represents how united Texans fought for independence from Mexico. It was used before the Texas state flag was made. Because of this, the state is called "The Lone Star State."

Even though people have been calling Texas the "Lone Star State" for more than 200 years, this name didn't become official until 2015. The lone star is on the Texas flag and the Texas state seal.

Texas is often called the "Lone Star State" to honor its fight for independence from New Mexico during the Civil War. In 1836, when Texas became a republic, its flag was changed to have just one star. Also, the well-known white star with five points on top of the bright blue background shows how proud Texans are of their state.

At the beginning of the 19th century, when Mexico got its freedom from Spain, Texas was still a part of Mexico. In those days, Mexican officials actively encouraged people from the United States to move to the lone star state, which led to more people living there.

After he became well-known across the country, General Santa Anna won the election and became the president of the Republic of Mexico. Soon after that, he called himself a dictator, which put him in conflict with a group in Texas that wanted Texas to be independent.

Interesting Facts

1. Six Different Countries Have Ruled Texas

Throughout its history, the lone star state has been a part of six different countries. Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America, and, in last place, the United States of America.

2. Texas Is Bigger Than Any Other Country In Europe

The United States of America is a big country with 50 states and many other governments. Texas is the second biggest state in the country. In terms of total land area, it would be the 39th largest in the world if it were a country.

3. Second Most Populous State

With a population of 28,701,845, the lone star state is the second most populous state in the United States. This means that about 10% of all Americans live there. California has the most people in any state in the United States while other states like Houston and San Antonio also have heavy population. This means that it is likely that you will meet another Texan while you are traveling in the U.S.

4. Tornadoes

The lone star state is known for its bad weather, and residents can expect an average of 139 tornadoes each year.

It is the state in the United States where tornadoes are most likely to happen. If a tornado is coming your way, you must find shelter immediately. If you live in a trailer or mobile home, you must get out of there as soon as possible. If you go to the school, ensure you take all the necessary safety steps.

Never forget that you shouldn't go near the windows. Put a mattress and some cushions between you and the danger.

From how it got its name to a list of its top attractions, these fun facts about Texas have a lot for you to learn and enjoy.

5. Texas in Caddo Indian means "Friends."

Texas gets its name from the Caddo Indian word "teycha," which means "friends" or "allies." The people who lived here before the Spanish came up and took over gave it this name.  

The motto of this great state is "Friendship," which is a great example of Southern hospitality for which the state is known.  

6. Live Music Capital

This might be one of our favorite interesting facts about Texas. Austin is the biggest city in Texas. It is known as the "live music capital of the world" because it has many big music festivals, such as South by Southwest and Austin City Limits.

They also have more live music venues per person than anywhere else in the country so that you can see a show pretty much any time of day or night.

7. Largest Rose Garden

In the lone star state, you can stop and smell the roses whenever you want. Tyler has the country's biggest rose garden, 14 acres, and 38,000 rose bushes of up to 500 different kinds. If you are looking for fun under the Texas Sun, then it is a must visit place. It is bigger that the North Texas gardens that is known for its gorgeous sunflower fields.

In October, thousands of people come to the city to enjoy the Texas Rose Festival, which has been going on since 1933 and is all about flowers.

8. Second-largest State in the U.S.

Everything is bigger in Texas. The lone star state is the second-largest state in size and number of people, with 268,596 square miles and almost 30 million people. Whereas, San Antonio has about 14.5 lakh population. Even every country in Europe is smaller than it.

To seal the deal, you can also find the country's biggest capital building and fastest speed limit here!

9. Once an Independent Country

Texans are loud and proud, and their focus on being different may come from the fact that the state has a unique history. It was an independent country for nine years, from 1836 to 1845, when it was called the Republic of Texas. Several important Spanish missions and forts in San Antonio were still used as battlefields during Texas' war for independence.

10. Six Flags

Have you ever heard of Six Flags Over Texas? It's a famous amusement park. So, prepare for one of Texas's most exciting historical facts! The park's name comes from the state with eight leaders over more than 300 years. Spain, France, and Mexico all had land in the lone star state. The Confederate States and the United States also controlled parts of the state.

11.Dr. Pepper

One of the best drinks in the world got its start in, you guessed it, Texas!

Dr. Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885, and in 1904, it started to be sold all over the country. Even today, the top-secret recipe is split in half and kept in 2 different Dallas banks.

12. Longhorn

Texas has a few State Animals. The lone star state has more than one state animal, but the most well-known ones are the cute armadillo and the iconic Texas longhorn. In 1995, a group of elementary school students held a fake election and chose the nine-banded armadillo as the state animal. The longhorn joined the list the same year.

13. Bats

In terms of interesting animals and interesting facts about the lone star state, the state has more native species of bats than anywhere else in the US. At sunset, you can go to many places to see swarms of bats take to the night sky.

The largest bat colony in a city is on the South Congress Bridge in Austin, and the largest bat colony in the country is in Bracken Cave in San Antonio.

14. The First Rodeo Ever

On July 4, 1883, the lone star state held the first rodeo ever. This started a tradition that is still going strong today. In Pecos, Texas, you can still go to the original rodeo, which has been strong for over a hundred years.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the biggest rodeo in the world, with over two million people going yearly. The state sport of the lone star state is rodeo, so they take it seriously.

15. Biggest Convenience Store

If you want to go on a road trip through Texas, you will need a lot of gas and a lot of snacks. And what better place to find both than at the world's largest convenience store? Buc-in ee's New Braunfels has a huge 66,335 square feet filled with Texas-themed souvenirs, homemade treats, and clean bathrooms.

16. Languages

As you might guess, English and Spanish are the most common languages in Texas. But if you look at one of Texas's less well-known fun facts, the third-place contender might surprise you. There are probably about 250,000 Vietnamese speakers and about 200,000 Chinese speakers in the state.

17. Deadliest Natural Disaster

In Texas in 1900, a Category 4 hurricane with winds of up to 130 miles per hour killed more than 8,000 people. This was the worst natural disaster in US history. But Galveston returned stronger than ever and now has major attractions like the Strand Historic District, Moody Gardens, and Schlitterbahn, the best waterpark in the world.

18. Second-largest Canyon System

The second-largest group of canyons. This natural wonder must be on any list of interesting Texas-related things. Did you know that the Grand Canyon isn't the only famous place in Texas? The Palo Duro Canyon is the second-largest canyon system in the country. It runs for 120 miles through the rough, red-rock landscape of the Texas Panhandle.

You can go hiking, biking, or horseback riding on more than 30 miles of trails, or you can drive and just enjoy the views at the bottom.

19. Oil and Gas

The lone star state has the country’s biggest oil production, natural gas, cotton, and wind power, among other major industries like the space industry. This state is responsible for 40% of the nation's oil production and 25% of its natural gas production. Texas also sends many sheep, horses, citrus fruit, pecans (how long do pecans last?), and corn. To keep up with all that production, you need a lot of lands.

20. Wine

Try this economic fact on for size if oil and gas don't impress you. Most wine lovers would go straight to California or New York, but Texas ranks fifth in the country for wine production. It has 352 wineries and makes 4,280,400 gallons of wine every year.

Head straight to Hill Country, where Wine Trail 290 is, for the best time. It is safe to say that you will fall in love with Texas when you go on the trail. You can take a scenic shuttle through Central Texas and stop to try the state's best local wines.

Do try the vodka from Texas, if you don’t prefer wine.

Other Interesting Facts

  • The Johnson Space Center in Houston controls all NASA flights into space with its high tech capabilities.

  • The country's best training, research, and flight control programs have been run here for over 50 years.

  • On a tram tour of the facilities, you can see what goes on behind the scenes of human space exploration.  

  • It is against the law to milk someone else's cow, and you can be fined up to $10 if you do.

  • In the seaside city of Galveston, sitting on the sidewalk can get you a $500 fine, which is a much less serious offense.

  • Texas has a lot of strange roadside attractions, but a perfect copy of a Prada store on the side of a quiet highway might be one of the strongest.

  • The shop is an art installation that has been there since 2005. It is in Marfa, in the far west of Texas.

  • Along other highways in the state, you can see a 24-foot-tall fire hydrant with dalmatian spots, a house made out of nothing but beer cans, and a copy of the Eiffel Tower.

  • Several famous people were born and raised in Texas. Singers like Selena Gomez, Kelly Clarkson, Janis Joplin, and Beyonce are from the state. .

  • The Texas State Fair, which has happened almost every year since 1886, is the biggest in the country.

  • Texas is where the first margarita was made.

  • There are world-class museums in Texas. Texas has art, history, and science museums that are among the best in the world and some that don't take themselves quite as seriously. In San Antonio, at Barney Smith's Toilet Seat Art Museum, you can see more than 1,000 toilet seats decorated with everything from light switches to dental tools. There is no charge to get in, and donations are not required.

    Truly Texan Things Outsiders Don't Get

    • Dive into the heart of Texas culture with a humorous look at truly Texan things that might leave outsiders scratching their heads but define the Lone Star State.

    For the best brisket restaurant in the Lone Star State, click here.

    Looking for the best farm-to-table restaurant in Dallas? Check out this out!

     

 
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