Teaching Resources
The development of these teaching resources has been possible through the use of foundational works in Texas history: Texas: Crossroads of America, by Jesús F. de la Teja, Ron Tyler, and Nancy Beck Young; The History of Texas, by Robert A. Calvert, Arnoldo De Leon, and Gregg Cantrell; Major Problems in Texas History, edited by Sam W. Hayes and Cary D. Wintz; Documents of Texas History, edited by Ernest Wallace, David M. Vigness, and George B. Ward; The Portal to Texas History online database, created by the university of North Texas Libraries; and the Handbook of Texas online encyclopedia, created by the Texas State Historical Association. This collection of documents, essays, textbooks, and online resources provided important historical context, diverse perspectives, and primary source materials that continue to shape the study and teaching of Texas history. We extend our gratitude to their authors and editors for their invaluable contributions to the field.
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Overview:
Recounting the ceremonial reburial of Stephen F. Austin, this introduction reflects on the ways that Texas history has been told and not told. This establishes the major themes of remembrance and collective memory, as well as Texas as a microcosm of a larger American narrative. Finally, it lays out the approach to the telling of this history through the inclusion of often left out voices and actors, that help expand the traditional narratives of Texas history.
Discussion Questions:
Why did authorities in Texas dig up Stephen F. Austin in 1910, 74 years after his death, and re-bury him? What does this reburial say about how people remember historical figures and events?
Why do we memorialize individuals?
How does the way we remember history change over time?
Why is the book titled “Texas: An American History”? What does the author think is different about his book as compared to most accounts of Texas’ past? What are some current examples of memorialization/commemoration that could be expanded?
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Overview:
Chapter 1 explores the ancient history of Texas, focusing on the White Shaman mural near the Pecos River, a 1,500-4,000-year-old artwork linked to indigenous origin stories, particularly those of the Huichol people. The chapter examines the way of life of early inhabitants, including innovations like Clovis and Folsom points and the “three sisters” crops. Texas’s role as a trade hub connected it to other regions, facilitating the exchange of goods, ideas, and languages. The region’s deep ties to Mexico are evident in shared myths and cultural practices. Ultimately, Texas’ ancient past continues to shape its identity.
Discussion Questions:
How did the natural environment influence the development of groups of people who lived in what later became Texas?
How was indigenous Texas connected to what is now Mexico, New Mexico, and other places?
Do these connections conflict with the ways that modern day Americans think about borders?
Is it important to study the Indigenous history of present-day Texas?
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Overview:
Chapter 2 recounts the story of Cabeza de Vaca and his companions, survivors of a failed Spanish expedition who became castaways on the Texas Gulf Coast in 1528. They encountered the Karankawa people, who initially helped but later turned hostile due to disease and cultural misunderstandings. His detailed memoir provides early accounts of Texas’s people and environment. Although they left little impact on the land, the castaways' ordeal transformed them, with Cabeza de Vaca later adopting a more humane approach as a colonial governor.
Discussion Questions:
How does the encounter of Europeans and Indigenous people in Texas compare to popular/traditional representations of European colonization?
How did these encounters change Indigenous peoples? How did they change Europeans?
How do the record keeping traditions of Indigenous people, and the Europeans, influence the way we learn about history?
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Overview:
Chapter 3 delves into Spain's attempts to extend its empire into Texas. While other regions like New Mexico saw successful settlements, Texas remained a peripheral and challenging frontier. Disease, trade, and horses brought important changes to Indigenous peoples like the Caddo, Karankawa, and Coahuiltecan, who often integrated aspects of European culture into their lives while retaining autonomy. Despite missions and forts like San Antonio, Spanish influence in Texas remained weak, overshadowed by the resilience of Indigenous societies.
Discussion Questions:
How does the encounter of Europeans and Indigenous people in Texas compare to popular/traditional representations of European colonization?
How did these encounters change Indigenous peoples? How did they change Europeans?
What led Spanish authorities to found settlements, forts, and missions in Texas? What limited their success?
How do the record keeping traditions of Indigenous people, and the Europeans, influence the way we learn about history?
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Overview:
Chapter 4 discusses Spain's efforts to strengthen its hold on Texas during the late 18th century. Despite initial growth and diplomatic efforts with Indigenous groups, Spanish Texas struggled against powerful Comanche forces and an expanding United States. The chapter details the Comanches' rise to dominance, their economic and military strength, and their influence on Spanish policies. It also covers the impact of the Louisiana Purchase and the growing presence of American settlers. Finally, it explores the struggles for Mexican independence, the 1813 Texas rebellion, and its brutal suppression, which left Texas weakened and sparsely populated.
Discussion Questions:
What challenges did Spanish authorities face in Texas?
How did the Comanches become so powerful and numerous so quickly?
What did Spanish authorities do to accommodate Comanche power?
How did developments in the world far beyond Texas impact people living in Texas in the 1700s and early 1800s?
How did Texas’ geographic location shape this history?
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Overview:
Chapter 5 explores the story of Stephen F. Austin, who worked to integrate American settlers into Mexican Texas after its independence in 1821. Austin and other immigrants adapted to their new country by learning Spanish, accepting Catholicism, and forming close relationships with Tejano leaders. The chapter highlights Mexico's efforts to populate and develop Texas through immigration, offering land opportunities to Americans while facing challenges such as Comanche raids and internal struggles over slavery. Despite initial cooperation, tensions arose as settlers maintained their own customs and economic interests, particularly regarding slavery.
Discussion Questions:
What is the significance of Stephen F. Austin being referred to as Esteban?
How does Esteban’s (Stephen F. Austin) embrace of Mexican identity compare to the experiences of present day immigrants?
What problems did Mexican Texas face after independence from Spain? How did Mexican and Tejano leaders try to resolve these problems?
What role did slavery play in the settlement of Mexican Texas by Americans?
How were Stephen F. (Esteban) Austin and Edward Haden different as settlers of Mexican Texas?
Traditional narratives of the Texas Revolution focus mostly on the actions of Anglo-American settlers. What other historical actors does Johnson introduce? Does including them change how you think about the Revolution?
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Overview:
Chapter 6 details the events leading to Texas's independence from Mexico. Growing tensions over issues such as immigration, governance, and slavery fueled dissatisfaction among Texians and Tejanos alike. Despite initial loyalty to Mexico, the settlers' frustration with government policies, combined with military conflicts like the Alamo and Goliad massacres, pushed Texas toward independence. The chapter describes the chaotic and disorganized Texan resistance, culminating in the decisive Battle of San Jacinto, where Texan forces, led by Sam Houston, captured Mexican President Santa Anna, securing Texas's independence. The chapter also explores the impact of the revolution on different groups, including Tejanos and enslaved people, many of whom sought freedom by fleeing to the Mexican side.
Discussion Questions:
What was so improbable about Texas’ independence from Mexico? What ultimately led to Santa Anna’s defeat/capture and a successful Texas Revolution?
How did Mexican authorities respond to the growing concern of the over-settlement of Texas by Americans? How do their concerns compare to the wariness of immigration by many Americans today?
What led Texians and Tejanos to support the cause of independence?
The Alamo is a leading symbol of Texas. Was the battle that took place there as important as this symbol suggests? Why might this particular battle elicit a specific collective memory?
Traditional narratives of the Texas Revolution focus mostly on the actions of Anglo-American settlers. What other historical actors does Johnson introduce? Does including them change how you think about the Revolution?
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Overview:
Chapter 7 explores the challenges and aspirations of the Republic of Texas after gaining independence from Mexico. It highlights the dramatic events of the Texas Revolution and the uncertain future that followed, with possibilities of remaining independent, rejoining Mexico, or becoming part of the United States. Despite its independence, Texas struggled with financial instability, lack of international recognition, and internal divisions, including tensions over slavery and relations with Indigenous tribes. Ultimately, economic difficulties, security concerns, and the divisive issue of slavery delayed annexation until 1845. The chapter underscores the complexities of Texas' early years and the competing forces that shaped its destiny.
Discussion Questions:
What stories about the Texas Revolution did the leaders of the independent Republic of Texas tell? What was useful about them?
What are the tensions and contradictions between the legend of Stephen F. Austin ’s that was celebrated in the twentieth century and his actual standing in the Republic of Texas at his death?
Why did some Americans oppose letting Texas join the United States? How did these opponents describe Texas?
What were some of the obstacles preventing Texas from being annexed by the US?
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Overview:
Chapter 8 details the decline of the Republic of Texas' independence and its eventual annexation into the United States. President Mirabeau Lamar's aggressive policies drained Texas financially and deepened internal divisions. His vision of a vast Texan empire clashed with the realities of weak governance, economic hardship, and military defeats. Indigenous resistance, particularly from the Comanches, and tensions with Tejano residents further strained the republic. Economic collapse and political instability made annexation increasingly appealing, and shifting U.S. politics paved the way for Texas to join the Union in 1845.
Discussion Questions:
In what ways did Sam Houston and Mirabeau Lamar differ in their policies and attitudes as presidents of Texas, particularly in regard to indigenous people?
Why might Sam Houston be revered more than Mirabeau Lamar?
How were new white American arrivals to Texas different than the early white American settlers before independence?
What conditions in the US and Texas ultimately lead to its annexation?
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Overview:
Chapter 9 discusses the transformation of Texas following its annexation to the United States, which brought economic growth and population expansion but did not resolve internal divisions over slavery and Tejano rights. The U.S.-Mexico War, sparked by border disputes, allowed Texas to solidify its place in the Union while attracting southern migrants and expanding slavery. German immigrants, fleeing European turmoil, established distinct communities that often opposed slavery and maintained friendly relations with Indigenous people. Conflicts between Tejanos and Anglo settlers, exemplified by Juan Cortina's uprising, highlighted racial and economic struggles. These events set the stage for Texas's role in the larger national conflicts leading to the Civil War.
Discussion Questions:
What is the significance of Stephen F. Austin being referred to as Esteban?
How does Esteban’s (Stephen F. Austin) embrace of Mexican identity compare to the experiences of present day immigrants?
What problems did Mexican Texas face after independence from Spain? How did Mexican and Tejano leaders try to resolve these problems?
What role did slavery play in the settlement of Mexican Texas by Americans?
How were Stephen F. (Esteban) Austin and Edward Haden different as settlers of Mexican Texas?
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Overview:
Chapter 10 discusses the impact of the Civil War on Texas, highlighting the experiences of enslaved people upon their liberation and the state's divided loyalties. Many Texans fought for the Confederacy, while others, including enslaved individuals, German immigrants, and Tejanos, resisted secession and supported the Union. After the war, the chapter examines the transition to freedom for formerly enslaved individuals, marked by celebrations such as Juneteenth. The legacy of the Civil War in Texas remains complex, reflecting both Confederate allegiance and the ongoing struggle for freedom and equality.
Discussion Questions:
Why did some Texans want to join the Confederacy, and why did others stay loyal to the United States? What factors influenced Texas to join the Confederacy?
In what ways was Texas a “starter kit” for the Confederacy?
How did the Civil War further increase longstanding tensions within Texas?
How does the author challenge the notion that Texas was a completely Confederate state?
Why did Black Texans establish the tradition of Juneteenth? How does the story of Juneteenth compare to other stories that Texans told about their history, such as those about Stephen F. Austin or the Alamo?
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Overview:
Chapter 11 explores the transformation of Texas after the Civil War, focusing on the displacement of Indigenous peoples and the struggle of Black Texans for equality. Beginning with an account of a symbolic meeting between Kiowa people and rancher Charles Goodnight, highlighting the transition from Indigenous lands to white-controlled Texas. The chapter details the systematic removal of Indigenous people, the challenges faced by freed Black people in their pursuit of economic independence and political rights, and the violent resistance from white Texans who sought to reestablish dominance. Despite moments of progress, such as Black political participation and education efforts, the rise of white supremacist policies and violence ultimately curtailed many of these gains.
Discussion Questions:
Why would Kiowas continue to deal with Charles Goodnight?
Why were so many white Texans interested in Native people after so many were expelled from the state? How does this fascination conflict with the actual, historical relationship between Indigenous Texans and non-Indigenous Texans?
What were some of the gains made by Black Texans after emancipation? How did white Texans respond to these achievements?
How did violence shape the demographic makeup of Texas?
Why have so many writers been drawn to the story of the Kiowa bison hunt with Charles Goodnight?
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Overview:
Chapter 12 focuses on the economic developments, social changes, and racial dynamics in post-Civil War Texas. The chapter discusses the rise of industries such as cattle ranching, railroads, and oil, which reshaped the state's economy and fueled population growth. Cowboys are discussed as a well-recognized and traditional symbol of Americanness and Texas identity that has a much more complex history. It continues to highlight the struggles of African Americans and other marginalized groups, who faced systemic discrimination despite efforts to achieve economic and political progress. The chapter examines the role of political institutions in shaping the state's future and the cultural shifts that accompanied modernization. Ultimately, it portrays Texas as a state navigating the challenges of progress while grappling with its complex history.
Discussion Questions:
Why are so many Americans drawn to the idea of the cowboy?
In what ways is the cowboy a misleading symbol for Texas in the late nineteenth century?
How did cattle change the environmental landscape of Texas?
How does the longer history of cattle before becoming central to Texan identity, how might this history more accurately represent the history of Texas? Why does the author describe the longer history of cattle? What implications does this have for how we think of Texas history?
What did the Longhorn symbolize, and why was it so appealing to many Texans?
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Overview:
Chapter 13 explores the cultural and societal evolution of Texas in the late 19th century. It highlights the profound influence of Christianity in shaping moral, social, and cultural norms, with churches serving as vital community hubs. Among a backdrop of violence and isolation, Texans began fostering social cohesion through organized religion, temperance movements, and educational reforms, which expanded despite segregation and limited resources. However, tensions persisted between intellectual progress and the state's violent legacy.
Discussion Questions:
Why were churches and schools so appealing to Texans?
Why did the author title this chapter “Taming the Frontier”?
Why were so many ministers opposed to the drinking of alcohol?
What were the arguments in favor of restrictions on guns, knives, and other weapons? How do these arguments conflict with current perceptions of the state?
Why did many Texans draw a sharp line between religion and politics? What alternatives to Christian authority did some Texans look to?
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Overview:
Chapter 14 explores the rise and impact of the Populist Party in Texas during the late 19th century. Emerging from farmers' alliances, the movement sought to reform capitalistic systems and challenge corporate power while promoting interracial cooperation and gender equality. Populists advocated for monetary reform, regulation of railroads, and fair treatment for farmers, while their platform bridged liberal and conservative ideas. Despite initial successes in elections and policy, internal divisions and violent suppression by the Democratic establishment led to their political decline by 1900. However, their ideas left a lasting legacy, shaping future reforms in Texas and the U.S.
Discussion Questions:
What were some of the main platform points of the People’s Party? Do they strike you as liberal, conservative, or something else?
Why were populists, particularly farmers, so interested in monetary policy?
What was the appeal of Populism to African Americans??
What role did women play in the populist movement and how was that different than African American involvement?
How did Populism shape politics and policy even after its death as an independent party?
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Overview:
Chapter 15 examines the struggles for civil rights in Texas during the early 20th century. It focuses on the violence and systemic discrimination faced by Black and Mexican Texans, particularly the brutal actions of the Texas Rangers and white mobs that enforced racial oppression. Efforts to suppress minority political power included poll taxes, segregation laws, and disfranchisement, drastically reducing voter participation and consolidating white Democratic dominance. Despite these challenges, figures like Canales and organizations such as the NAACP and Mexican-American activists laid the groundwork for future civil rights efforts.
Discussion Questions:
What was the difference between the border regions of Texas and the rest of Texas? And how did these differences influence political participation?
How did Black and Mexican Texans organize to fight back against Ranger and mob violence?
How did the Mexican Revolution inspire Mexican Texans?
How did Democratic leaders in Texas limit the political power of non-white Texans?
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Overview:
Chapter 16 discusses the profound impact of World War I on Texas society, highlighting shifts in gender roles, racial dynamics, and cultural identities. Women used wartime efforts, such as "victory gardens," to advance suffrage, culminating in white women voting by 1918. Mexican Americans and Black Texans sought greater rights through military service, while German Texans faced persecution and cultural assimilation. Leftist groups and anti-war voices were violently suppressed, with socialist leaders and tenant farmers targeted. Though the war touched only a fraction of Texans directly, its effects influenced the state’s social and political landscape.
Discussion Questions:
In what ways did the Great War transform Texas?
What role did women play in this transformation?
How did Mexican and Black Texans use the war as an opportunity to assert their rights as American citizens?
How did the war push German Texans to assimilate?
Why does the author title this chapter “Homefronts”?
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Overview:
Chapter 17 delves into the impact of oil on Texas, highlighting its economic, social, and cultural implications. The discovery of the Spindletop oil field in 1901 triggered an oil boom, turning Texas into a global leader in petroleum production and fostering rapid urban growth in cities like Houston and Dallas. While the industry brought immense wealth, jobs, and innovation, it also introduced environmental destruction, hazardous working conditions, and social chaos in boomtowns. Independent oilmen thrived under Texas's anti-monopoly policies, but by the 1930s, overproduction led to price collapses. Oil reshaped Texas's economy, culture, and politics, solidifying its place as a symbol of both opportunity and upheaval.
Discussion Questions:
What was the purpose of the National Guard’s seizure of the East Texas oil fields?
How did the oil industry contribute to the outsized image of Texas?
What similarities do cowboys and wildcatters have as symbols for Texans?
What challenges did the oil boom pose for Texas society?
How did the populist movement of the late 1800’s influence the Texas oil industry?
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Overview:
Chapter 18 explores the cultural and political changes in Texas during the 1920s. The chapter highlights the rise of conservative Christianity, exemplified by figures like Frank Norris. It also examines the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan, targeting minorities, Catholics, and modern cultural changes. Urbanization, automobiles, and mass media reshaped social life, fostering both innovation and backlash from traditionalists. The Klan's influence waned by the decade's end, but its legacy of racism persisted, revealing deep societal divisions in Texas.
Discussion Questions:
How was the embrace of politics by Frank Norris and other Christians a departure from past practices?
What role did prohibition play in the turn to politics for some Christians?
How did the automobile and radio contribute to the cultural shifts in Texas of the 1920’s?
What lead so many Texans to join the Ku Klux Klan in the late 1910s? Why did others hate the organization?
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Overview:
Chapter 19 discusses Texas's celebration of its centennial in 1936 amidst the hardships of the Great Depression. The Texas Centennial Exposition in Dallas showcased the state's blend of modernity and frontier heritage, emphasizing themes of Anglo pioneering, Texas independence, and the Alamo. While promoting a white-centric historical narrative, the exposition also featured counter-narratives, such as the Hall of Negro Life, which highlighted Black Texans' contributions. Similarly, Mexican American groups pushed for recognition of their role in Texas history. The chapter also examines the collaboration of folklorist John Lomax and musician Lead Belly, who preserved songs reflecting the struggles of ordinary Texans. These historical and cultural efforts provided both escapism and inspiration during a period of economic and social turmoil.
Discussion Questions:
What aspects of Texas history were emphasized by the Texas Centennial Century Exposition?
What impact did the Great Depression have on Texans?
How did Black and Mexican Texans tell their own histories during the Centennial?
Why were Texans so drawn to their own history during the Great Depression?
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Overview:
Chapter 20 highlights Texas's significant contributions to World War II and the transformative effects the war had on the state. Over 750,000 Texans served in the war, including women and minority groups, while the state became a critical hub for military training, manufacturing, and petrochemical production. The war accelerated urbanization, economic growth, and political shifts, fostering challenges to segregation and inequality. Stories like the controversy over Private Felix Longoria's burial underscore how Mexican Americans and African Americans began leveraging wartime changes to fight for civil rights. The war positioned Texas as a modern economic and political powerhouse while laying the groundwork for future social change.
Discussion Questions:
What role did Texas play in the war effort during World War II?
In what ways did the New Deal change Texas? Why was it so popular?
Why were some Texans wary of the New Deal, or outright hostile to it? What was the significance of Lyndon B. Johnson intervening in the burial of Felix Longoria? Why did he support the Longoria family?
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Overview:
Chapter 21 examines the larger-than-life cultural identity of Texas and how it shaped perceptions in the 20th century. The assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas in 1963 tarnished the state's reputation, amplifying stereotypes of Texas as brash, violent, and politically extreme. Works like Giant by Edna Ferber and John Wayne’s The Alamo romanticized Texas's rugged individualism while highlighting its flaws, such as racism and inequality. The chapter also explores the role of wealthy Texans in shaping a new cosmopolitan identity and a look at Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency, including his association with the Vietnam War and his civil rights achievements. Ultimately, it portrays Texas as both a symbol of America's virtues and its contradictions.
Discussion Questions:
What was the impact of John F. Kennedy’s assassination on popular perceptions of Texas?
How did popular media like the films, Giant and The Alamo, and the novel, The Super-Americans, contribute to Texas’ outsized reputation?
How did the conservative and right-wing circles overshadow other aspects of Texas politics?
What impact did Lyndon B. Johnson’s Texas background have on his presidency?
What gaps do you see between the popular reputation of Texas and the reality of life in the state?
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Overview:
Chapter 22 explores Texas's pivotal role in the broader Civil Rights Movement while detailing the state's unique path toward equality. Figures like Barbara Jordan and Henry B. González symbolize the successes of the era, becoming national icons and political leaders. The chapter explores key legal victories, which chipped away at segregation and laid the foundation for the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision. Texas's gradual desegregation, contrasts with the "massive resistance" seen in other Southern states. While tensions persisted between Black and Hispanic communities, many leaders fostered solidarity in the fight for civil rights. By the 1970s, civil rights had transformed Texas into a more inclusive society, though significant disparities and challenges remained.
Discussion Questions:
What advances did non-white Texans make in the wake of the Brown v. Board case?
How did white Texans respond to these advances?
Why did the state’s white political establishment mostly avoid the kind of massive resistance that other southern states engaged in?
In what ways did Mexican and Black Texans fight for their civil rights? What are examples of cooperation and conflict between the two groups?
What generational tensions began to arise in Black and Mexican Texan politics during the Civil Rights movement?
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Overview:
Chapter 23 investigates the evolving identity of Texas in the late 20th century, highlighting its cultural contradictions. Hondo Crouch's whimsical reinvention of Luckenbach as a symbol of rural authenticity contrasts with the corporate, materialistic image of Dallas, epitomized by the Cowboys football team and their cheerleaders. The chapter also examines Texas's role in groundbreaking social changes, including the legalization of abortion through Roe v. Wade and the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. These developments underscore Texas's dual nature as both a bastion of conservatism and a force for progressivism, reflecting the complexity and diversity of its people and culture.
Discussion Questions:
Why was Luckenbach (the town and the song) so appealing to Texans and Americans more broadly?
How did the Dallas Cowboys change the business of professional football?
How did social attitudes around sexuality change in Texas during the 1960’s and 1970’s? What new freedoms did these changes bring, and what challenges?
What was Henry McCluskey Jr.’s role in the push for gay and women’s rights in Texas?
What contradictions does the author present about Texas history in this chapter? How do these contradictions complicate Texas’ public reputation?
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Overview:
Chapter 24 looks at Texas's transformation into an globalized, urban society during the late 20th century. The chapter highlights the environmental activism sparked by Austin’s 1990 Barton Springs protests, which shaped the city’s identity as a leader in sustainability and cultural preservation. Texas’s rapid urbanization is illustrated through stories like Michael Dell’s tech empire and Austin’s emergence as a hub for live music and cultural festivals like South by Southwest. Immigrant communities, particularly from South Asia, Nigeria, and Vietnam, reshaped Texas cities, fostering a cosmopolitan identity. However, the chapter also examines the growing disparities and challenges of economic inequality and urban poverty, underscoring the complex realities behind Texas’s growth and modernization.
Discussion Questions:
In what ways did the Save Our Springs movement invoke Texas history?
How was John Mackey’s idea of “conscious capitalism” a challenge to traditional Texas business thinking?
What cultural and intellectual shifts fueled the growth of cities like Austin?
What factors led to Texas becoming a “majority-minority” state?
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Overview:
Chapter 25 explores the social, political, and environmental tensions that shaped Texas in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The chapter opens with the 1993 Waco siege, which galvanized right-wing militia movements and symbolized fears of government overreach. It examines the rise of Republican dominance in Texas politics, marked by gerrymandering, evangelical influence, and polarizing social policies. The chapter also addresses climate change’s growing impact on Texas, including devastating hurricanes and rising temperatures, as well as the increasing prevalence of mass shootings like the 2022 Uvalde tragedy. Despite technological advancements and economic growth, Texas remains a state grappling with profound challenges, linked to struggles from its past.
Discussion Questions:
How did the incident with the Branch Davidians at Waco help cement conservative politics in Texas?
What role did religion play in conservative politics and life in Texas?
What contradictions are present in the shift from democratic to republican political power in Texas?
How has Texas’ history of violence reemerged in the past decades? Why might acts of violence in Texas be more scrutinized than in other places?
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Overview:
The epilogue reflects on Texas’s ongoing struggle with its complex history and identity. While efforts to preserve and present a more inclusive narrative, such as the renovations at the Alamo, have diversified the voices represented, debates over how Texas’s history should be told continue to be highly contested. These debates underscore the importance of history in shaping identity and reveal Texas as a microcosm of larger national struggles over memory, power, and inclusion.
Discussion Questions:
In what ways is the new Alamo development a reassertion of Texas historical memory, and in what ways is it different?
How might this book’s depiction of Texas history challenge traditional historical narratives about Texas?
What do you believe was the author’s goal with writing this book? Is he successful in accomplishing this goal?
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