Final answer:
Texas' path to independence involved a surge of American settlers led by Stephen F. Austin, conflicts due to the outlawing of slavery in Mexico, and the centralization of power under Santa Anna. The Texas Revolution in 1835-1836 resulted in the formation of the Lone Star Republic, which remained independent until annexation by the United States in 1846.
Step-by-step explanation:
People and Events Leading to Texas Independence
The movement toward Texas independence from Mexico was catalyzed by a series of events and key individuals. Stephen F. Austin paved the way by leading the first 300 American families into Texas. This influx of American settlers, with their reliance on slave labor, soon created cultural and religious tension with the Mexican authorities. The situation escalated when the Mexican president, Vicente Guerrero, outlawed slavery in an attempt to reduce American influence in Texas.
Things came to a head when Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna became president and began centralizing power, which included dismissing the Mexican Congress and abolishing state governments like that of Coahuila y Texas. These actions led to armed conflict, including confrontations at Anahuac and the Battle of Gonzales. Texans then moved to seize San Antonio. The Consultation of 1835 saw delegates drafting the Declaration of Causes, signaling loyalty to Mexico if constitutional governance was restored.
However, in March 1836, the Texas Revolution was in full swing, and delegates declared independence, forming the Republic of Texas, also known as the Lone Star Republic. They drafted a constitution similar to that of the United States, which notably did not prohibit slavery. Following the Revolution, the Republic elected Sam Houston as president and remained independent from 1836 to 1846, during which time the annexation of Texas to the United States became a polarizing issue, contributing to tensions that eventually sparked the Mexican-American War.