States from A-Z: Texas, Utah and Vermont

TEXAS

 

The "Lone Star State" Texas is located in the south of the USA and might be the only state, besides Vermont, which has been an independent republic before being announced US state. Texas is the second largest state following Alaska. Additionally it has the second largest number of inhabitants.

The capital Austin includes 786.382 inhabitants (in 2009). The state is divided into 254 counties and ranks 1st place regarding the number of counties within a state.

 

Mexico and Texas: militant disputes

 

More than 11.000 years ago the first Native Americans settled in the area close to the Gulf of Mexico. Among them were three dominant tribes: the Pueblos close to the Rio Grande, the Mound builder close to the Mississippi and the Mesoamerican tribe in the south.

Today the US government approves just three tribes; the Alabama-Coushatta, the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas in Maverick county, and the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo in El Paso and Socorro. Those tribes have been recognized in the 60´s and 70´s.

 

The inhabitants declared Texas to become an independent republic on March 2nd 1836 and General Sam Housten to be their military commander-in-chief.

Consequentially the Mexican general Santa Anna occupied the capital of Texas in March 1836. Additionally took Alamo. In April the 1.600 Mexican besiegers were defeated by the Americans in the battle of San Jacinto under General Sam Houston´s leadership. General Santa Anna was taken into captivity and further attempts to attack failed in the following years.

France and the United Kingdom recognized Texas as independent republic on November 23rd 1839/14th November 1841.

The first president of the republic was General Sam Housten (1856 -1861), who governed Texas until it joined the USA on February 19th 1845 at the request of the Texan population.

Texas became US state on December 25th 1846 - a circumstance that led to the Mexican-American War, which was ended on February 2nd 1848 by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

Mexico waived the rights of Texas and the area between Rio Grande and the Nueces River. The Texan government decided to grant Mexico some of the land, which was incorporated to the Union beforehand.

The US state Texas is mostly coined by German immigrants.

In 1834 the German "Giessener Auswanderungsgesellschaft" and the "Verein zum Schutze deutscher Einwanderer in Texas" supported an organized German immigration. Most of the 100.000 German-speaking Texans settled in the centre of Texas, the so called „Texas Hill County" (German Hills, between Austin and San Antonio) Due to the influence of World War I the German language was ebbing.

 

For further information, click on the following websites:

http://www.texas.gov/en/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.amerika-live.de/usa/texas/

 

 

 

UTAH

 

 

The name Utah means “people from the mountains” and derives from the Ute tribe that among other tribes up to today still live in the state. When the first group of Mormon pioneers came to Salt Lake City seeking for a place where they could without interference practice their religion, they tried to change the name of the state to Deseret which according to the Book of Mormons means “honeybee”, it should not only be a symbol for diligence but also a way to impose their religion. The United States Government denied it not only because they wanted to keep State and Church affairs separated but also because they were opposed to the practice of plural marriage or polygamy among the Mormons.

 

Around 60% of the population in Utah are Mormons even though religious affiliation is not taken into account when it comes to an official census of the population. There is only two States in the US where one religious group is the absolute majority: Rhode Island and Utah.

 

19th Century: The Mormons arrival

 

The Church looking forward to bringing more Mormons to Utah established the Perpetual Emigrating Fund Company- PEF in 1850, the idea with this corporation was to provide financial assistance to the underprivileged members and bring them to Salt Lake City and surrounding regions. The fund was financed by church and private contributions but the members were obliged per contract to repay the amount received. At the end of the century the money was tight and Governor Brigham Young, at the same time President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - LDS, revived an old plan: the immigrants should use as a mean of transportation a handcart instead of a covered wagon, this meant a saving of 6 Pounds per person. Also the ones coming from Europe, most of them really poor Mormons, arriving at the Ports in New York, New Orleans or Boston should take a train to Iowa City where the handcarts would be waiting for them. It was a very long and strenuous journey to Salt Lake City: 90 days on foot and handcarts fully loaded.

 

The first “handcarts pioneers” (about 800 people) were divided in three treks, they started their march in April 1856, arriving in September/end October with minimal casualties. At the end of June 1856 the last convoy of immigrants for that year (about 1076 people) were caught off guard with the onset of winter in Wyoming (300 miles before Salt Lake City), approximately 220 people died but with an incredible rescue operation for that time the great majority were saved and arrived in November their final destination.

 

In the following four years there were five treks carried out, they all went trouble-free because of the better organisation.

 

On the 4th of January, 1896 Utah was admitted as the 45th State to the Union, there were some previous attempts to Statehood which was granted only after the Church banished the polygamy in the State in 1890.

 

Nature and Landscape – unspoilt and deserted

 

Valleys, Canyons and spectacular Mountains: Utah offers a great geographical tourism site as well a variety of landscape and travel destinations. The Moab area in the southeastern part , the five National Parks (Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion), the Colorado River and the Greene River to name a few of Utah´s stunning sites. In addition Utah is also known for its winter activities and its numerous Sky locations in the Rocky Mountains.

 

Utah features extreme temperatures and a dry to arid climate as a result there were not many people who wanted to settle down in the State, so the landscape remained unspoilt and original. Due to this arid climate agriculture near the mountains area is only possible where there is an external irrigation. Utah was probably the first state to practice “Dry Farming”: a set of techniques for raising crops in a semi-arid climate such as: Wheat, Sugar Beets, Potatoes and etc. The Aviation industry, Mining and Tourism play a major role in Utah´s economy.

 

VERMONT

 

Vermont is famous for its idyllic mountain landscape and the most favourite Maple Syrup.

 

77% of the area is covered with broadleaf forests, especially maple trees. The Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains belong to the most favourite recreational area.

So that is the reason why Vermont is also called the “Green Mountain State”.

 

Many affluent people from the city usually own a weekend house in the area so they can enjoy the Indian summer and the beautiful snowy winter.

 

The state capital is Montpelier which is at the same time the smallest state capital in the U.S.

 

The beautiful scenery and landscape attract many tourists to Vermont, in fall the leaves turn to a bright colour – the Indian summer! Rivers and lakes invite to water wanderings and fishing trips (the idea of fly fishing for instance comes from Vermont). The mountains offer many possibilities like: hiking, trekking camping and winter sports.

 

There is a saying that claims that the “Vermonters” deep inside are so sweet like Maple syrup and outside as hard as marble, the saying is due to the fact that Vermont is considered to be the stronghold or heartland of marble handicraft and maple syrup production.

Originally the State was settled by the Indian tribes Iroquois, Algonquians and Manaquins.

 

The French discoverer Samuel de Champlain named in 1609 the Mountain around the Lake Champlain as “Les Verts Mont”, later on the French name was anglicised, Green Mountains.

 

In 1763 Paris signed an Agreement ending the war between the French and the Indians then the territory was transferred to the British. Some parts of the region were for sometime controlled by the States of New York and New Hampshire. The “Green Mountain Boys” fought under Ethan Allen command against the English, culminating with the famous conquest of Fort Ticonderoga.

Vermont declared itself independent on the 18th of January 1777. First was called “New Connecticut”, in Juli 1777 changed to Vermont. During this time the Constitution was presented and then ratified. It was the first written Constitution of an independent State in North America. In 1791 Vermont was admitted as the 14th State of the Union. The first Governor was Thomas Chittenden.

 

http://www.vermont.gov/portal/

http://www.amerika-live.de/usa/vermont/