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Texas stopped being a country on February 19, 1846. The Republic of Texas — whic
1846 Event

February 19

Texas Officially Becomes a State: The Republic Joins the Union

Texas stopped being a country on February 19, 1846. The Republic of Texas — which had its own president, its own navy, its own foreign debt — handed over power to a state governor in Austin. Nine years as an independent nation, done. The ceremony was simple. Anson Jones, the last president of the Republic, lowered the Lone Star flag and said "The final act in this great drama is now performed. The Republic of Texas is no more." He thought he'd be remembered as a founding father. He killed himself four years later, bitter and broke. Texas kept the flag.

February 19, 1846

180 years ago

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What Else Happened on February 19

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