Once upon a time inTexas, by Mable Cash April 4, 2008
Personally, I think it should be mandatory for students to study Texas History in all US Schools. Look how unique we are, by federal law, only Texas can fly her flag at the same height as the United States stars and stripes. Look at those wonderful flags, the stars and stripes of “Old Glory” proudly flying at 20’ and our “Lone Star” displayed at the same height! Have you ever noticed? If you have, had you ever wondered why? This privilege is permitted only to Texas because that was part of the agreement when we signed on to become a part of the United States of America. Texas was a country, the Republic of Texas, a territory over which six flags have flown.
(Please don’t tell me that you thought Six Flags over Texas was just an amusement park.)
Six different flags have flown over this territory, each claiming that it belonged to them. But there is no flag to represent those who lived on this land when the others arrived. Indian families: farmers, hunters, fishermen and traders inhabited this place we call Texas. Christopher Columbus did discover America in 1492 and he claimed this New World for Spain. Texas was discovered in 1519 by a man named Pinda, as he sailed along the Gulf of Mexico, drawing a map of the coast. He traded with Indians he met there and planted the first Spanish flag in Texas.
The flag is red and white with red lions and golden castles on it. Pinda called this land, “Amichel.” Later, more Spaniards arrived, most of them soldiers, searching for gold. The Indians had never seen white men before nor had they ever seen a horse. The Texas natives were not impressed with the white soldiers but they were really interested in the animals they rode upon!
Other nations wanted to claim a portion of this new world. France sent people to the area. The French settled in Northern Canada. There they befriended the Indians and traded with them for furs. A Frenchman named LaSalle floated down the Mississippi River and planted a French flag at the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. Then France claimed all the land that drained into the mighty Mississippi River, including Texas. The king of France outfitted LaSalle with four ships laden with supplies and 400 hearty souls willing to settle a colony in this untamed land, near the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Misfortune came upon this “would be” colony. The Spanish, who also claim the territory, took one of LaSalle’s ships. Another ship wrecked and sank, A third ship turned back. Only one ship with LaSalle and the stalwart Colonists, remained to continue the journey. In 1685, he with his battered group, sailed past the mouth of the Mississippi River, finally landing at Matagorda Bay. There they built a fort, naming it Fort St. Louis to honor their king. The French flag,
white, adorned with golden lilies (fleur-de-lis) became the second to wave over Texas.
For a long time, both France and Spain claimed Texas belonged to them. Expect more info next week. Meanwhile, see if you can name the other four flags that have flown over Texas.
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