Texas

geographical name | encyclopedia
Pronounced: \tek-suhs\ | IPA:/ˈtɛk səs/

Definition of Texas

Texas is a State in the Southern United States of America, it has been a province and territory as Coahuila and Texas, the current territorial borders also encompass some parts that were once part of Chihuahua, Santa Fe de Nuevo México, and the Louisiana Purchase. The State is proud of its rugged individualism, and is proudly touted on everything including the Flag of Texas and its nickname “The Lone Star State”.

Texas culturally consists of the Native American modern culture, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, Santa Fe de Nuevo México culture, French modern culture, Cajun modern culture, Mexican modern culture, the Republic of Texas, and the American modern culture. The State’s reservations are self-governing dependencies. Furthermore multiple modern world cultures are represented within Texas.

Examples of Texas

Origin of Texas

Amoung the original peoples of Texas were Payaya, the Caguate, Jumano, and the Athabaskan peoples of the Apache. The Spanish colony of San Antonio was formed in 1718; the prior French colony of Fort Saint Louis, in 1685, failed two years after founding. Texas became part of Mexico in 1821, and officially its first statehood phase in 1824 under Mexico, as the state of Coahuila and Texas. The Republic of Texas became an independent nation on 1836. Texas again entered statehood in 1848 by joining the Union of the United States of America.

Alternate names: Tejas.
First Known Use: 17th century
Area: 121,589.48 sq mi. Population: 2,059,179. Capital city: Austin (pop. 912,791). Biggest city: Houston (pop. 2,099,451). Metropolitan areas: The Metroplex (pop. 6,954,330). Greater Houston (pop. 6,490,180). Greater San Antonio (pop. 2,194,927). Greater Austin (pop. 1,362,416). El Paso Metro (pop. 1,045,180). Government: Under the United States Constitution and the Constitution of Texas. Executive branch: Governor of Texas (commander-in-chief of Texas National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, and the the Texas State Guard). Legislative branch: Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives. Judicial branch: Texas Supreme Court, Texas Court of Appeals, and 456 Texas District Court Judges. Racial makeup: Non-Hispanic White 45.3%, Hispanic of any race 37.6%, African American 11.8%, Asian American 3.8%, Native American 0.7%, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%, Multi-racial 2.7%. Languages: English 65.80%, with the most popular dialects being Texan English and various other American English dialects. Spanish, with the most popular dialects being Latin American Spanish and Tejano Spanish. Vietnamese at 0.75%, Chinese 0.56%. Other languages under 0.05% are: German, Tagalog, French, Korean, Urdu, Hindi, Arabic, Ibo, Kru, and Yoruba. Religions (by adherents): Christian (Evangelical, Protestant, and Catholic), Atheism, and other faiths.