In return, for US$18,250,000, Mexico gave the U.S. undisputed control of Texas, ceded the Mexican Cession in 1848, most of which today is called the American Southwest, and Texas's borders were established at the Rio Grande. Purchase your tickets online. Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism were tied as the second largest religion as of 2014 and 2020. [261] Of the unaffiliated, an estimated 2% were atheists and 3% agnostic. 30,029,572. [97], While Texas had won its independence, political battles raged between two factions of the new Republic. [173] At least 12 species have been introduced and now reproduce freely in Texas. [426] The Legislature meets in regular session biennially for just over a hundred days, but the governor can call for special sessions as often as desired (notably, the Legislature cannot call itself into session). Heres What They Said. [82] Texians sided with the federalists against the current government and drove all Mexican soldiers out of East Texas. On February 1, by a vote of 1668, the convention adopted an Ordinance of Secession from the United States. [180], Snow falls multiple times each winter in the Panhandle and mountainous areas of West Texas, once or twice a year in North Texas, and once every few years in Central and East Texas. [63] The Comanche signed a treaty with Spain in 1785 and later helped to defeat the Lipan Apache and Karankawa tribes. The first battles of the war were fought in Texas: the Siege of Fort Texas, Battle of Palo Alto and Battle of Resaca de la Palma. Most cities in the state, those over 5,000 in population, have home-rule governments. Some observers[348] also include the University of Houston and Texas Tech University as tier one flagships alongside UT Austin and A&M. [431], The Texas constitution defines the responsibilities of county governments, which serve as agents of the state. Students at Texas A&M get a world-class education at a reasonable costand graduate with far less college-related debt than their peers at other universities. [1][110], Not all Texans favored secession initially, although many of the same would later support the Southern cause. Texas railway length peaked in 1932 at 17,078 miles (27,484km), but declined to 14,006 miles (22,540km) by 2000. The DallasFort Worth and Houston metropolitan areas number about 7.5 million and 7 million residents as of 2019, respectively. The second half of the show kicks off with South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley, who reacts to beating LSU on Sunday and the Eagles losing in the Super Bowl. The Rio Grande forms a natural border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Len, and Tamaulipas to the south. Non-Christian faiths accounted for 4% of the religious population in 2014, and 5% in 2020 per the Pew Research Center and Public Religion Research Institute. The athletics portion of the Lone Star Showdown rivalry has been put on hold after the Texas A&M Aggies joined the Southeastern Conference. As of 2017[update], Texas emitted the most greenhouse gases in the U.S., almost twice the amount of California, the second-most polluting state. [285][299] In 2014, 10.6% of the electricity consumed in Texas came from wind turbines. [66], When the United States purchased Louisiana from France in 1803, American authorities insisted the agreement also included Texas. Weve also added extra security steps to confirm your identity and make sure your account stays safe. During the Johnson Administration the first lady, Lady Bird Johnson, worked to draw attention to Texas wildflowers. The wriggling course of the Red River makes up the eastern two-thirds of Texass boundary with Oklahoma to the north, while the remainder of the northern boundary is the Panhandle, which juts northward, forming a counterpart in the western part of that state. [100] Mexico launched two small expeditions into Texas in 1842. The sun is what they worship most. According to the Pew Research Center in 2014, the largest historically African American Christian denominations were the National Baptist Convention (USA) and the Church of God in Christ. Texas leads the nation in total net electricity production, generating 437,236 MWh in 2014, 89% more MWh than Florida, which ranked second. Massage therapistand massage instructor license renewal, Now that you've learned a little more about TxT,head over to, You can also download the official TxT mobile app from the, To access other Texas.gov online services, visit the, Texas Records and Information Locator (TRAIL), Say hello to your new personal, portable government assistant, Create a secure account thats unique to you, Make TxT smarter with your personalized profile and account settings, Stay on track with your to-do list and proactive reminders, Take care of your government transactions in a snap, Driver license/ID/CDL renewal or replacement. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. [197], The state has three cities with populations exceeding one million: Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas. [212] A municipality may elect home rule status once it exceeds 5,000 population with voter approval. [129][130], The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl dealt a double blow to the state's economy, which had significantly improved since the Civil War. Adding to Texas's traditional culture, established in the 18th and 19th centuries, immigration has made Texas a melting pot of cultures from around the world. These changes helped Texas universities receive federal research funds. These were:[32] the Ancestral Puebloans from the upper Rio Grande region, centered west of Texas; the Mississippian culture, also known as Mound Builders, which extended along the Mississippi River Valley east of Texas; and the civilizations of Mesoamerica, centered south of Texas. [411] The Houston Ship Channel spans 530 feet (160m) wide by 45 feet (14m) deep by 50 miles (80km) long. Texans can cheer for a plethora of professional sports teams. The DallasFort Worth metroplex is one of only twelve American metropolitan areas that host sports teams from all the "Big Four" professional leagues. [101] The cotton price crash of the 1840s depressed the country's economy. [176], During the spring Texas wildflowers such as the state flower, the bluebonnet, line highways throughout Texas. [438][439] Commentators have also attributed the shift to Republican political consultant Karl Rove, who managed numerous political campaigns in Texas in the 1980s and 1990s. [400] In traffic, DFW airport is the busiest in the state, the fourth busiest in the United States,[401] and sixth worldwide. From here, well guide you to online services, resources, and information around our great state. ", "Late Cretaceous and Tertiary Burial History, Central Texas", "Texas Wildlife Identification & Viewing Guide", "Range Extension and Solitary nest founding in Polistes Exclamans", "Occurrence and Phenology of Polistine Wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Southern Louisiana", "Lady Bird Johnson's I-95 Landscape-Landmark Tour Highway History FHWA General Highway History Highway History Federal Highway Administration", "Mauriceville, Texas Travel Weather Averages", "Weather averages Dallas-DFW Intl Arpt, Texas", Hurricane Harvey: Preliminary Estimates of Commercial and Public Sector Damages on the Houston Metropolitan Area, "Here's how tropical storms have impacted Texas in the past 35 years", "Tropical Storm Allison blew through Houston 19 years ago", "Tropical Storm Claudette: The 'Mother Lode' of floods", "Polar vortex: What is it and how does it happen? Many wide, flat riverbeds in the region remain dry most of the year, but they can become sluiceways for flash floods. [345] The rate of school corporal punishment in Texas is surpassed only by Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas. [61] In 1749, the Spanish peace treaty with the Lipan Apache angered many tribes,[62] including the Comanche, Tonkawa, and Hasinai. The state experiences the most tornadoes in the United States, an average of 139 a year. [285][286] The state's refineries can process 5.95 million barrels (946,000m3) of oil a day. The vast geographic, economic, and cultural diversity within the state itself prohibits easy categorization of the whole state into a recognized region of the United States. The language families present in the state were Caddoan, Atakapan, Athabaskan, Coahuiltecan, and Uto-Aztecan, in addition to several language isolates such as Tonkawa. A study from Texas A&Ms Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics more closely connects diet and Alzheimers disease development. Since 2012, Austin's Circuit of the Americas plays host to a round of the Formula 1 World Championship[469] the first at a permanent road circuit in the United States since the 1980 Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International, as well as Grand Prix motorcycle racing, FIA World Endurance Championship and United SportsCar Championship races. Former Aggie guard Mark French previewed men's hoops' upcoming battle with LSU and offered his thoughts on Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC. 22 TCU held on to beat Texas 75-73. The first Texas freeway was the Gulf Freeway opened in 1948 in Houston. This margin existed until Laurasia and Gondwana collided in the Pennsylvanian subperiod to form Pangea. [149] Amid a rise in COVID-19 cases in autumn 2020, Abbott and other U.S. governors refused to enact further lockdowns. APPLY TO TEXAS A&M TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARD YOUR FUTURE. As of 2022, it has the most Fortune 500 company headquarters (53) in the United States. [235] At the 2020 census, the racial and ethnic composition of the state was 42.5% white (39.7% non-Hispanic white), 11.8% Black or African American, 5.4% Asian, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 13.6% some other race, 17.6% two or more races, and 39.3% Hispanic and Latino American of any race. The teams findings suggest that even simple forms of physical activity like going on a walk may help reduce a persons risk for the disease. EXPLORE ACADEMICS WELCOME HOME The Aggie family is a friendly community that values diversity and offers endless ways to connect, have fun and serve others. Please note this figure refers to only the number of students paddled, regardless of whether a student was spanked multiple times in a year, and does not refer to the number of instances of corporal punishment, which would be substantially higher. Harvey ultimately became the costliest hurricane worldwide, causing an estimated $198.6billion in damage, surpassing the cost of Hurricane Katrina. [263] The state ranks 22nd among U.S. states with a median household income of $64,034, while the poverty rate is 14.2%, making Texas the state with 14th highest poverty rate in the United States (compared to 13.15% nationally). EXPERIENCE TEXAS A&M VIRTUAL TOURS Hosted by the Howdy Crew, small groups can explore campus from a distance. This included the Caddo of Louisiana and Arkansas. The Cross Timbers region and Caprock Escarpment are part of the Interior Lowlands. [45] Nine years later, shipwrecked Spanish explorer lvar Nez Cabeza de Vaca and his cohort became the first Europeans in what is now Texas. [204] Houston and Dallas have been recognized as world cities. [85], Within Mexico, tensions continued between federalists and centralists. [40] The United States obtained Louisiana following the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. "A History of the Caddo Indians". [160], Texas is in the south central part of the United States of America. The executive branch positions consist of the governor, lieutenant governor, comptroller of public accounts, land commissioner, attorney general, agriculture commissioner, the three-member Texas Railroad Commission, the State Board of Education, and the secretary of state. [99], As early as 1837, the Republic of Texas made several attempts to negotiate annexation with the United States. The Houston Cougars and the SMU Mustangs compete in the American Athletic Conference. The state's economic growth has led to urban sprawl and its associated symptoms. [50], Following Cabeza de Vaca, the expedition of Hernando de Soto entered into Texas from the east, seeking a route to Mexico. It is one of the 32 states that practice capital punishment, and since the US Supreme Court allowed capital punishment to resume in 1976, 40% of all U.S. executions have taken place in Texas. [221] Texas is the second-most populous state in the United States after California and the only other U.S. state to surpass a total estimated population of 30 million people as of July 2, 2022. [90], During this time of political turmoil, Mexican President Antonio Lpez de Santa Anna personally led an army to end the revolt. The Sabine River forms most of the boundary with Louisiana to the east, where by land it is bounded by Arkansas as well. [207] The office of the Texas Attorney General stated, in 2011, that Texas had about 2,294 colonias, and estimates about 500,000 lived in the colonias. [206], In contrast to the cities, unincorporated rural settlements known as colonias often lack basic infrastructure and are marked by poverty. Meet Texas by Texas (or TxT for short), your personal, portable government assistant from Texas.gov. [269], Texas has a reputation for low taxes. [436] Additionally, several factions of the party briefly split during the 1930s and 1940s. These strike most frequently in North Texas and the Panhandle. Due to court-mandated equitable school financing for school districts, the state has a tax redistribution system called the "Robin Hood plan". [238] Based on U.S. Census Bureau data released in February 2011, for the first time in recent history, Texas's white population is below 50% (45%) and Hispanics grew to 38%. [205] These cities are spread out amongst the state. Please note: you must have a Texas driver license or ID to create your account. [395] In 2004, a combined total of $298billion of goods passed through Texas FTZs.[395]. It begins with trail rides from several points throughout the state that convene at Reliant Park. Miscalculations by Ren-Robert Cavelier de La Salle resulted in his establishing the colony of Fort Saint Louis at Matagorda Bay rather than along the Mississippi River. [107], They also brought or purchased enslaved African Americans, whose numbers tripled in the state from 1850 to 1860, from 58,000 to 182,566. [187], Other devastating Texas hurricanes include the 1915 Galveston hurricane, Hurricane Audrey in 1957 which killed more than 600 people, Hurricane Carla in 1961, Hurricane Beulah in 1967, Hurricane Alicia in 1983, Hurricane Rita in 2005, and Hurricane Ike in 2008. Population (2020) 29,145,505; (2022 est.) Download the official TxT iOS or Android app, create your secure TxT account, and youre on the way to taking care of Texas services, like vehicle registration renewal, driver license/ID renewal, and more. [362][363][364], Universities in Texas host three presidential libraries: George Bush Presidential Library at Texas A&M University,[365] the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum at The University of Texas at Austin,[366][367] and the George W. Bush Presidential Library at Southern Methodist University. The Rangers were integral to several important events of Texas history and some of the best-known criminal cases in the history of the Old West. [270] According to the Tax Foundation, Texans' state and local tax burdens rank among the lowest in the nation, 7th lowest nationally; state and local taxes cost $3,580 per capita, or 8.4 percent of resident incomes. [58] Two years later, they created San Antonio as the first Spanish civilian settlement in the area. Maybe you are currently enrolled in a Texas high school, or you could be attending college on the other side of the globe. Events organized by UIL include contests in athletics (the most popular being high school football) as well as artistic and academic subjects. In 1990, the Islamic population was about 140,000 with more recent figures putting the current number of Muslims between 350,000 and 400,000 as of 2012. The world's first rodeo was hosted in Pecos, Texas. [315], Texas's affluence stimulates a strong commercial sector consisting of retail, wholesale, banking and insurance, and construction industries. Furthermore, the Caddo never turned to violence because of it, excepting cases of self-defense. The culture in Texas during the later 19th century exhibited many facets of a frontier territory. [318], Historically, Texas culture comes from a blend of Southern (Dixie), Western (frontier), and Southwestern (Mexican/Anglo fusion) influences, varying in degrees of such from one intrastate region to another. history. [258] In 2020, the Jewish population grew to over 176,000. The vastness and diversity of Texas are evident in nearly all aspects of its physical features, economy, history, and cultural life. [336], Since 1980, San Antonio has evolved into "The Tejano Music Capital Of The World". Plus, Mickie DeMoss, who coached at Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee, looks ahead to the next episode of Southern Hoops and her time working with the legendary Pat Summitt. Texas's second-largest air facility is Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). [150][151] In November 2020, Texas was selected as one of four states to test Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine distribution. The oldest rocks in Texas date from the Mesoproterozoic and are about 1,600million years old.[168]. An additional 50 leagues of land set aside for the support of two universities would later become the basis of the state's Permanent University Fund. The Texas Panhandle has an eastern border with Oklahoma at 100 W, a northern border with Oklahoma at 3630' N and a western border with New Mexico at 103 W. El Paso lies on the state's western tip at 32 N and the Rio Grande. All rights reserved. The Interior Lowlands region consists of gently rolling to hilly forested land and is part of a larger pine-hardwood forest. Dallas hosts the State Fair of Texas each year at Fair Park. From the High Plains country of West Texas emerged many of the legends of Texas weather and of the Texas cowboy. Texas shares borders with the states of Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the west, and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Len, and Tamaulipas to the south and southwest; and has a coastline with the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast. Welcome to TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY Featured Links Majors Graduate & Professional Programs Tuition & Costs Financial Aid News Hagler Institute Presents Malina Medallion Award To Ray Rothrock '77 Backyard Chickens Part 1: Preparing To Buy Healthy Birds Texas A&M University's New Small Animal Teaching and Research Hospital Receives Major Gift Pledge The crescent-shaped coastline of the Gulf of Mexico lies to the southeast, and the Rio Grande carves a shallow channel that separates Texas from Mexico to the southwest. The term "six flags over Texas" refers to several nations that have ruled over the territory. This had also been their policy toward neighboring tribes before the arrival of the settlers. [43] Friendly tribes taught newcomers how to grow indigenous crops, prepare foods, and hunt wild game. To create your own TxT account, you'll need a personal email address and a Texas driver license or ID. [412], Part of the state's tradition of cowboys is derived from the massive cattle drives which its ranchers organized in the nineteenth century to drive livestock to railroads and markets in Kansas, for shipment to the east. [125], In 1901, the Democratic-dominated state legislature passed a bill requiring payment of a poll tax for voting, which effectively disenfranchised most blacks and many poor whites and Latinos. The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) operates light rail lines in the Houston area. The state's Democratic voters are made up primarily by liberal and minority groups in Austin, Beaumont, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, and San Antonio as well as minority voters in East and South Texas. The image of Texas was that of a raw and lawless frontier when it relinquished its independence to become a state. [433] As a result, the Democratic Party dominated Texas politics from the turn of the century, imposing racial segregation and white supremacy. [74] Twenty-three other empresarios brought settlers to the state, the majority of whom were from the United States. [106] Post-war Texas grew rapidly as migrants poured into the cotton lands of the state. [41][42], Whether a Native American tribe was friendly or warlike was critical to the fates of European explorers and settlers in that land. The nationalist faction, led by Mirabeau B. Lamar, advocated the continued independence of Texas, the expulsion of the Native Americans, and the expansion of the Republic to the Pacific Ocean. Based on the industry-standard measure of revenue passenger-kilometers/miles flown. If it were an independent country, Texas would be the 39th-largest. "Far West Texas" or the "Trans-Pecos" region is the state's Basin and Range Province. When Europeans arrived in the Texas region, several different cultures of Native peoples, divided into many smaller tribes, were living there. [71] Due to its low population, the territory was assigned to other states and territories of Mexico; the core territory was part of the state of Coahuila y Tejas, but other parts of today's Texas were part of Tamaulipas, Chihuahua, or the Mexican Territory of Santa Fe de Nuevo Mxico.[72].