A short‐lived independent republic in the south‐west of the USA. Texas had only been lightly colonized by the Spanish and in 1821 the Mexican government granted Stephen Austin the right to bring US settlers into the region. Pressure began to build up for independence from Mexican control and a revolt broke out in 1835–36. After defeat at the Alamo, Texan forces under Houston captured the Mexican general Santa Anna at San Jacinto. An independent republic of Texas was proclaimed, which was recognized by the USA as the “Lone‐Star” state. The republic lasted for almost a decade before it was admitted to the Union as the 28th state, an event that helped to precipitate the Mexican–American War in the following year (1846).