Texas and the Lone Star Flag

Essay # 4783

Ethnic Studies > Modern
Ethnic Studies > North American
Geography

This paper examines the history of Texas through the cultural symbol of the Lone Star Flag.

2,640 words () | 3 sources | APA | 2000 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a look at the cultural history of Texas going back to its origins as two different nations: Catholic Mexicans and independent American settlers. The paper describes the battle for the Republic of Texas and the symbolism in the Lone Start Flag.

From the Paper:

"Texas is identified for a number of reasons throughout the United States. One of the most common reasons is because of the number of flags it was governed under throughout the years. For the fifteen years from 1821 to 1836, it was ruled under the reign of the Mexican government. This flag represented many aspects of life in Texas and Mexico. However, the two cultures and political ideas caused many conflicts, as did the distrust the Mexican people held for the American settlers. To begin with, the Americans and the Mexicans held two different sets of values. The Americans believed strongly in freedom of religion, while the Mexicans held a very strong belief in the Catholic Church. The Southern Texan settlers felt it was acceptable to own slaves, while the Mexican people were strongly opposed to this action. The Mexican people also had a long tradition of respect for authority, while the American settlers in Texas, emigrating from a new, independent nation, held little or no respect for authority. Another difference was in the human nature of the two cultures. The American people possessed an individualistic nature that was blunt and self-assertive. This clashed with the Mexican nature, which was subtle and secretive. These differences caused problems for two primary reasons. The first being that it is difficult to effectively govern people who posses such different opinions in values and different characteristics in human nature. The second is that the Mexican flag stood as a symbol over Texas. This symbol represented their control over the Texas settlers, which therefore enforced the Mexican values and personalities upon Texans. These differences were the beginning of the discontent towards the Mexican flag, its government, and its people. "