TEXAS HISTORY

by WALTER BUENGER
2nd edition, 546 pages, $26.95
ISBN 978-0-89641-138-8 

 

For the past few years I have been searching for a book from which students could obtain a basic understanding of Texas History. I have wanted something that would familiarize students with chronology, people, and major events of Texas history, but would be stimulating and interesting reading. The essays in this book fit those needs.

Reading these essays should allow my students to better understand lectures and to participate in discussion. In turn, it will free me to lecture on more diverse topics because students will have enough knowledge to understand the significance of those diverse topics. Of course, these high expectations will not be met if students do not read these essays as they are assigned.

These essays are organized in chronological fashion and are a mixture of narrative and topical studies. The first three essays introduce you to Texas prior to 1810. Indians and Mexicans, who dominated the population at that time and who remain important, are sympathetically portrayed and the Spanish influence on Texas is described. The next three essays focus on the Anglo-American and European migration to Texas in the mid-19th century. The third trio of essays outline the history of the Republic and Civil War years, and call attention to Texas literature which quite often deals with those romantic times. The final group of three essays treat Texas in the 20th century. Reasons for economic growth are given, and purposefully argumentative political history is offered.

Argumentative is a key word. When you read these essays do not accept every word as the absolute truth. Certainly the dates and facts are correct, but the interpretation of the past is always open to question. Become an active reader. Question what you read and compare it to what else you know and hear. Remember, though, that you too are biased in one way or another, and that you have less knowledge and information than the authors of these essays. Keep an open mind, and look for logical clues to the changes over time in the region called Texas.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1: NATIVE AMERICAN OF TEXAS

Chapter 2: THE HISTORY OF MEXICAN AMERICANS IN TEXAS: A PRELIMINARY SURVEY

Chapter 3: SPANISH TEXAS, 1519-1810

Chapter 4: ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERCEPTIONS IN TEXAS

Chapter 5: IMMIGRATION TO TEXAS

Chapter 6: LAND AND COMMUNITY: EUROPEAN MIGRATION TO RURAL TEXAS IN TH 19th CENTURY

Chapter 7: THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS

Chapter 8: TEXAS IN GRAY: THE CIVIL WAR YEARS 1861-1865

Chapter 9: IMAGINING TEXAS: THE LITERATURE OF THE LONE STAR STATE

Chapter 10: TEXAS ECONOMIC GROWTH, 1890 TO WORLD WAR II: FROM FRONTIER TO INDUSTRIAL GIANT

Chapter 11: A LIBERAL VIEW OF TEXAS POLITICS, 1890's-1930's

Chapter 12: A LIBERAL VIEW OF TEXAS POLITICS SINCE THE 1930's