The Lone Star Republic - 1844

In 1844 all eyes were on Texas.  The Lone Star Republic was a whopping jewel set in the middle of the continent. To Great Britain and Mexico, Texas was the key to keeping the expansionist United States in check. To expansion minded Americans, she was the key to Manifest Destiny. 1844 was an election year, and the politicos in Washington were speechifying and pamphletizing about how annexing Texas would affect the political balance of power. The Army generals looked into their crystal balls and saw that a war over Texas was the most likely of all possible futures. Planning for that contingency, the army ordered Lt. William H. Emory of the Corps of Topographical Engineers to produce a map. In creating this map, Emory compiled the best information that was known about Texas and the surrounding territories. Apart from being the most accurate depiction of Texas produced during the Republic era, this map also served as a political pronouncement in two ways.First, it recognized Texas as a se