A brief biography of the second president of the Republic of Texas, Mirabeau B. Lamar, that examines his life, military service, and years in politics.

This book is a rhetorical study of the writings of Republic of Texas presidents Sam Houston and Mirabeau Lamar which analyzes the frames applied in the writings of the two leaders to define Native Americans. Presenting their individual writings as a dialogue and an argument, it considers the points at which Houston and Lamar’s rhetorical depictions overlapped and diverged, and explores the range and overall social impact of each president’s portrayal of Native Americans. It prompts readers to consider the implications of such rhetorical framing both historically and through the modern day in application to a wide array of social groups.

Does Texas’s experience as a republic make it unique among the other states? In many ways, Texas was an “accidental republic” for nearly ten years, until Texans voted overwhelmingly in favor of annexation to the United States after winning independence from Mexico. Single Star of the West chronicles Texas’s efforts to maneuver through the pitfalls and hardships of creating and maintaining the “accidental republic.” The volume begins with the Texas Revolution and examines whether or not a true Texas identity emerged during the Republic era. Next, several contributors discuss how the Republic was defended by its army, navy, and the Texas Rangers. Individual chapters focus on the early founders of Texas—Sam Houston, Mirabeau B. Lamar, and Anson Jones—who were all exceptional men, but like all men, suffered from their own share of fears and faults. Texas’s efforts at diplomacy, and persistence and transformation in its economy, also receive careful analysis. Finally, social and cultural aspects of the Texas Republic receive coverage, with discussions of women, American Indians, African Americans, Tejanos, and religion. The contributors also focus on the extent that conditions in the republic attracted political and economic opportunists, some of whom achieved a remarkable degree of success. Single Star of the West also highlights how the Texas Republic was established on American political ideology. With the majority of the white settlers coming from the United States, this will not surprise many scholars of the era. In some cases, the Texans successfully adopted American political and economic ideology to their needs, while other times they failed miserably.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Annotation Biography of second president of the Republic of Texas.

"Novel using historical materials to imagine Mirabeau Lamar's failed Santa Fe Expedition during his presidency of the Republic of Texas"--

A lively report of travels in early nineteenth-century Texas and Louisiana and a fascinating account of the discovery, exploration, and settlement of those areas is presented in the work of this ebullient young French dramatist and journalist who traveled to Louisiana in 1837 and to Texas in 1839. Frédéric Gaillardet, an alert and talented writer of the romantic school, was lured away for a decade from a successful career in Paris to satisfy his wanderlust and to seek inspiration on the American frontier. During that time he visited the American Southwest, and he talked with many personages there—men like Sam Houston, Mirabeau B. Lamar, and Achille Murat. His character sketches of these men add zest to the book, as do the facets of Gaillardet's own personality and life displayed in these pages. Gaillardet's reports of his travels were published in various French-language newspapers of the time; a few were incorporated into the author's posthumous memoirs. His opinions, as recorded in his writings, exerted undeniable influence in the French decision to recognize Texas; one of his theses was that the Republic of Texas might become a curb, rather than a stepping stone, to an expanding United States. Despite Gaillardet's historical importance, however, none of these chapters has ever appeared before in English translation. This collection was gathered from several sources: the Journal des Débats, the Constitutionnel, the Courrier des États-Unis, and Gaillardet's memoirs, entitled L'Aristocratie en Amérique. The latter chapters concentrate on the career of a prominent Louisiana lawyer, politician, and diplomat, Pierre Soulé, whose much maligned name Gaillardet repeatedly and stoutly defended. A less favorable treatment of Soulé, contained in Fanny Calderón de la Barca's Attaché in Madrid, is reprinted in the appendix to aid the reader in judging the accuracy of Gaillardet's analysis of this arresting figure. Copious footnotes to clarify the text have been added by the translator. His introduction presents a biographical sketch of Gaillardet, together with a careful analysis of the book, which has been translated lucidly and vividly.

A portrait of Houston's diverse careers that sheds light upon his heroism, romanticism, and contributions to the Republic of Texas

The fully updated second edition of Teaching History Creatively introduces teachers to the wealth of available approaches to historical enquiry, ensuring creative, effective learning. This book clearly sets out the processes of historical enquiry, demonstrating how these are integrally linked with key criteria of creativity and helps readers to employ those features of creativity in the classroom. Underpinned by theory and research, it offers informed and practical support and is illustrated throughout with examples of children’s work. Key themes addressed include: investigating sources using archives in your own research project becoming historical agents and history detectives drama for exploring events myths and legends communicating historical understanding creatively. With brand new chapters from the Stone Ages to the Iron Age, using prehistoric sources; The withdrawal of the Romans and the conquest and settlement of Britain by the Anglo-Saxons, in addition to many new case studies, this exciting edition puts an emphasis on accessible, recent research, new evidence and interpretations and encourages the creative dynamism of the study of history. Teaching History Creatively provides vivid and rich examples of the creative use of sources, of approaches to understanding chronology and concepts of time and of strategies to create interpretations. It is an essential purchase for any teacher or educator who wishes to embed creative approaches to teaching history in their classroom.