why did texas have difficulty in acquiring U.S statehood?

Answer 1

~It didn't. The first Texas Declaration of Independence (from Mexico - prior to 1821, the region was Spanish and/or French territory) was signed at Goliad on December 20, 1835 and adopted at Washington on the Brazos on March 3, 1836. After the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, the Republic of Texas became a reality. During the days of the Republic, the were two factions at work in Texas. Mirabeau B. Lamar's group favored independence and expansion of the Republic. Sam Houston's cadre favored annexation by the US.

On February 28, 1845, the U.S. Congress passed a bill authorizing annexation by the US and President Tyler signed the bill the next day. On October 13, 1845, a majority of Texans voted in favor of annexation. The annexation plan called for the US to assume liability of massive Texas debt in exchange for Texas ceding lands (or giving up its claims to lands) in what is now Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, Wyoming and Colorado to the US. The Texas constitution was thereafter approved by Congress, a vital step in the statehood process, and Texas was formally annexed on December 29, 1845. It became a state the same day. Normally, there is a period during which annexed lands are held in territorial status, but this phase was skipped in the case of Texas. Within ten years of becoming an independent republic, Texas was a state.

Texas did have some difficulty in deciding whether or not to retain statehood status. On February 1, 1861, by a vote of 166 to 8, the Texas legislature voted to secede from the Union. Thereafter, a majority of Texas citizens voted in favor of secession. The Civil War established the ineffectiveness of the Ordinance of Secession.

There is a myth that the annexation of the Republic included a provision that Texas could thereafter secede. This is simply not the case and there was no such provision. The US Constitution is silent as to the ability of a state to leave the union. New England states threatened to secede in the early 1800's, but were convinced they could not or should not by their southern brothers. The acts of secession of the Confederate states were all passed by the southern state legislatures and populace. It took the Civil War to determine that once a territory or independent republic opted in, there was no opting out. The constitution is still silent on the issue.

The lands within Texas which were part of the Republic of the Rio Grande complicates the story somewhat, but you didn't ask about it so I won't go into that.

Answer 2

If I recall correctly, they were rather divided about whether they wanted to become a state in the first place. For a short time, Texas declared itself an independent country. I believe they finally entered the Union when they realized just how many of them had been Americans in the first place.

Answer 3

Well, part of Texas belonged to Mexico and the Mexican gov was not going to just give the land away for free.

Answer 4

because Mexico and Texas could not agree on the border line.

Answer 5

The Mexicans wanted it.

Answer 6

It was difficult to trust the federal government; people thought they would be taxed to death and have their citizens attacked if they dared to practice their religion (like Waco), etc.

Answer 7

there was much debate on how the state should come in to the union