Final answer:
Sam Houston served as the commander of the Texan military forces during the Texas Revolution, leading to victory at the Battle of San Jacinto. Subsequently, he was elected as the first president of the independent Lone Star Republic in September 1836, a role he held until Texas was annexed by the United States in 1846.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sam Houston played a pivotal position in the Texas Revolution, serving as the commander of the Texan military forces. During this critical period, the Texas army, under Houston's leadership, faced numerous challenges, including significant defeats at Goliad and the Alamo, which led to the widespread retreat dubbed the 'Runaway Scrape'. Houston's strategic acumen came to a historical climax at the Battle of San Jacinto, where he achieved a stunning, decisive victory, surprising the Mexican army led by Santa Anna, capturing him, and effectively ending the revolution. The treaties of Velasco were signed thereafter, the latter of which, in exchange for Santa Anna's release, led Mexico to reluctantly recognize the independence of the Lone Star Republic—an independence that was solidified when Houston later became the first president of the independent Republic of Texas.
Following the revolution, in September 1836, Sam Houston was elected the first president of the Lone Star Republic. Houston's presidency was a crucial time for Texas as it transitioned from a territory embroiled in revolution to an independent nation. The Lone Star Republic, during its tenure from 1836 to 1846 under Houston's leadership, saw an influx of American immigrants, and discussions of annexation to the United States were frequent, particularly among slaveholding expansionists. The annexation, however, was a matter of dispute and concern due to the potential for inflaming political tensions with Mexico. Ultimately, during Houston's presidency and the independent years of the Lone Star Republic, Texas consolidated its identity and political structure prior to its eventual annexation by the United States in 1846.