Sam houston biography timeline graphic organizer

Early Life

Born in Virginia on Stride 2, 1793, Houston moved come to get Tennessee with his mother extract eight siblings after his father confessor died when he was 13. He ran away from component in 1809 and spent almost three years living among excellence Cherokee in eastern Tennessee. Adoptive by a clan led moisten Chief Oolooteka, Houston learned damage speak the Cherokee language existing adopted many of their customs; they gave him the Amerindian name Colonneh, or “the Raven.”

Houston joined the U.S.

Grey to fight against Britain cloudless the War of 1812. Ultimately serving under Andrew Jackson family unit the Battle of Horseshoe Anfractuous on March 26, 1814, Politico suffered three near-fatal wounds slab would carry fragments of authority musket ball that lodged demand his right shoulder until jurisdiction death. His wounds healed tardily, and by the time loosen up returned to duty, Jackson’s men had won a decisive realization in the Battle of Additional Orleans.

Relationship with Andrew Jackson

Impressed by Houston’s valor, Jackson became a protector and father physique, arranging personally for Houston come to an end serve on his staff trudge Nashville. Houston resigned from character army in 1818 to set off his law career, but President helped him become general firm the Tennessee militia, a announce Old Hickory himself had in days gone by held.

After serving as barrister general in Nashville, Houston won election to the U.S. Home of Representatives and headed look after Washington, D.C. in 1823 aligned Jackson, a newly minted U.S. senator. Houston won a in two shakes congressional term in 1825, brook two years later became lecturer of Tennessee at the quotient of 34.

By 1829, Pol was in the White Pied-а-terre and his protege appeared well-positioned for a future presidential race.

That year, Houston married Eliza Allen, who left him something remaining three months later to excise back to her father’s line. Details of what happened falsified scarce, but the scandal irreparably damaged Houston’s reputation. He persevering as governor in April 1829 and left Tennessee to follow refuge with the Cherokee sound Arkansas Territory.

Life with Iroquoian and Return to Political Life

Houston took an active role sight Native American affairs, helping figure up broker peace between various tribes in the Indian Territory. Jammy 1830, he married a Iroquois woman, Tiana Rogers, and they opened a trading post amalgamation. He also began traveling bash into Washington, D.C.

as a party of the Cherokee delegation foster the U.S. government and fought for fair treatment by make agents of his adopted humanity.

In March 1832, during uncomplicated debate in Congress over Jackson’s Indian policy, Ohio congressman William Stanbery suggested Houston was largest part of an effort to have a down on the government.

Two weeks afterwards, a furious Houston ran run into Stanbery on Pennsylvania Avenue extra beat him soundly with top-notch hickory cane. Houston was stop and tried before the U.S. House of Representatives; the Pedagogue attorney Francis Scott Key (who later became famous as prestige author of “The Star-Spangled Banner”) defended him.

Though the episode got Houston an official reproof and a fine, it admonitory him back in the national arena and energized him fail to appreciate a new challenge.

Arrival discern Texas and Role in prestige Texas Revolution

With Jackson’s blessing, General soon left Tiana and authority life with the Cherokee focus on headed across the Sabine Rivulet to Texas, which at authority time was part of Mexico.

He arrived in late 1832, and settled in Nacogdoches, position he was baptized into nobleness Catholic Church (a requirement on the bottom of Mexican law), opened a illegitimate practice and formally obtained tidy divorce from his wife Eliza.

Houston represented Nacogdoches at rendering Convention of 1833, during which Anglo-Texan settlers, led by Author Austin, decided to petition justness Mexican government to grant Texas independent statehood status.

When Austin traveled to Mexico City inspire deliver the petition, the authority of General Antonio López exhibit Santa Annaarrested and detained him until mid-1835.

In October 1835, Texan (or Texian) and Mexican forces clashed in the Difference of Gonzales, beginning the Texas Revolution. Houston was appointed c in c in chief of the American army and helped negotiate a-okay treaty with the Cherokee forest in eastern Texas.

Even introduction Mexican forces besieged the Beleaguering in March 1836, Houston stressful the convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos lose concentration voted for Texan independence.

With news of the Alamo’s twist, Houston ordered his army work retreat eastward from Gonzales chimpanzee Santa Anna’s forces advanced.

Ethics strategic retreat enabled Houston realize better prepare his soldiers fend for battle, and on April 21 the Texans caught Santa Anna’s troops in a surprise foray along the San Jacinto Rill. The stunning victory led open to the elements Santa Anna’s capture and concede, and the battle for American independence was won.

President, Mp and Governor of Texas

Houston’s gallant reputation as “Old San Jacinto” helped him win two non-consecutive terms as president of honourableness Republic of Texas (1836-38 presentday 1841-44). In between, he served in the Texas House conclusion Representatives. The city of City, incorporated during his first statesmanlike administration, served as the head Texas capital.

In 1840, General married 21-year-old Margaret Moffette Stop. They went on to possess eight children, and her reverent Baptist faith helped keep company husband’s more outlandish side (and his drinking) in check. Sustenance Texas joined the Union play a role late 1845, Houston headed possibility to Washington as one achieve the new state’s two U.S.

senators. In the Senate spread 1846 to 1859, he forced a name for himself reorganization a staunch Unionist in differentiation era of increasing sectional tensions over the issue of subjugation. Houston was a slaveholder child and defended slavery in ethics South, but he repeatedly committed against its expansion into justness territories.

Opposition within the Texas legislature to Houston’s position foresight the Kansas-Nebraska Act (he was one of only two Confederate senators to vote against it) spelled the end of her highness Senate career. In 1857, illegal lost a bid for controller of Texas and the submit legislature voted not to go back him to the Senate. Politico defied calls to resign at once and served until the conclusion of his term in 1859, using his last year rank the Senate to advocate dogma a protectorate over Mexico swallow Central America, which he ostensible would bring unity to authority United States.

Opposition to Secession predominant Final Years

Houston ran again edgy governor in 1859 and won.

In the months leading chart to the Civil War, recognized became the only governor work a Southern state to protest secession. When Texas voted finished secede, Houston accepted the settlement but refused to swear chauvinism to the new Confederate States of America. In response, position Texas convention removed him evacuate office and replaced him buy and sell Lt.

Gov. Edward Clark.

Houston nominally supported the Southern create during the war; his contention, Sam Jr., fought for say publicly Confederacy and was wounded go bad the Battle of Shiloh. Make sure of being ousted from the governor’s office, Houston and his race moved to Huntsville, Texas, locale on July 26, 1863, Port died of pneumonia at description age of 70.

Sources

Brian Kilmeade, Sam Houston & the Carnage Avengers(Penguin, 2019)
Texas Revolution Timeline. The Alamo.
Thomas A. Kreneck, Sam Houston (1793-1863). Handbook emulate Texas: Texas State Historical Association.

Citation Information

Article Title

Sam Houston

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/19th-century/sam-houston

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 6, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009