29 December - Texas became the 28th state of the United States

 

Texas became the 28th state of the United States on 29 December 1845. This followed its annexation to the United States, which occurred after it gained independence from Mexico in 1836. The Republic of Texas existed as a sovereign nation for nearly a decade before joining the United States. The annexation of Texas contributed to tensions between the Northern and Southern states over the issue of slavery, eventually leading to the Mexican-American War in 1846.