In 1845, Texans debated annexation, the official act of adding a region to a country. Some leaders argued that joining the United States would be like attaching a new room to a sturdy house: maps would be redrawn, laws extended, and protection shared. Newspapers gave examples from earlier history, noting how Congress votes and state citizens approve before annexation becomes legal. Others feared the opposite—a separation from old ties with Mexico might spark conflict—yet most agreed that annexation would connect Texas to national trade and defense. When the final documents were signed, the flag changed, taxes shifted, and the boundaries of the nation widened to include Texas.

What does the word annexation most likely mean in this passage?

On a Panhandle farm, rain is unpredictable, so the farmer chose to irrigate the cotton fields. To irrigate means to bring water to dry land, instead of waiting for storms. He built shallow canals from a well, added drip lines like long straws, and timed the pumps to deliver small sips each morning. This system works like a controlled rain shower, preventing waste in the semi-arid climate. The farmer compared it to refilling a thirsty canteen during a long hike—steady, measured, and just enough. With irrigation, seedlings survived a windy week, and the yield improved, much like orchards in West Texas that rely on careful watering schedules.

What does the word irrigate most likely mean in this passage?

In social studies, we track how Texas's economy shifts over time. By economy, we mean the system for making, buying, and selling goods and services in a region. For example, when oil prices fall, drilling slows, some workers change jobs, and towns near fields adjust their budgets. In contrast, new wind farms in West Texas can add jobs, like ports in Houston increase trade. These examples show how money flows and choices affect everyday life: stores hire or lay off, families plan spending, and cities invest in roads. Understanding the economy is like reading a weather map for business—it helps people prepare for changes before they arrive.

What does the word economy most likely mean in this passage?

Before statehood, maps labeled Texas as shifting territory, an area of land controlled by a government. Treaties and conflicts moved borders like lines in sand: first under Spain, then Mexico, and later the United States. Think of territory as a school campus with clear edges; rules apply inside those boundaries. When the Compromise of 1850 redrew the western line, Texas ceded land in exchange for debt relief, showing how control can change. Rivers such as the Rio Grande often serve as natural borders, while surveyors mark straight segments across plains. Understanding territory helps explain why towns switch jurisdictions and why laws differ just across a line.

What does the word territory most likely mean in this passage?

Debating in 1845, Texans considered annexation to the United States. Newspapers described annexation as joining a larger nation, similar to how a small team merges with a league to gain protection and trade. Supporters gave examples: U.S. mail routes would extend across Texas, and federal troops could defend the frontier. Opponents worried that annexation might increase taxes. Still, the legislature voted to accept the offer, and Texas became part of the Union. In this passage, the word annexation is clarified by the examples of connecting mail routes and shared defense, and by the analogy to a team merging with a league.

What does the word annexation most likely mean in this passage?

During a dry summer in the Texas Panhandle, farmers used pivot sprinklers to irrigate their fields. The system carried water from the Canadian River through canals and pipes, delivering moisture directly to thirsty corn. Without irrigation, the soil cracked, and leaves curled. With it, plants revived, much like a wilted houseplant perked up after a careful watering. One rancher gave examples: timing the valves at dawn and rotating the sprinkler arms slowly so the ground absorbed the water. The context shows that to irrigate is to supply water so crops can grow, not to drain or measure it. The practice helped stabilize yields across the ranch.

What does the word irrigate most likely mean in this passage?

In a Texas civics class, students mapped how the state's economy works. They traced oil from the Permian Basin to refineries, technology from Austin's startups to global markets, and cattle from the Panhandle to grocery stores. The teacher explained that an economy is like a web: people and businesses produce goods and services, trade them, and earn income. For example, when wind farms near Abilene generate electricity, turbine technicians get paid, utilities sell power, and households use it to run air conditioners. These connected examples clarify the term economy as the system of production, distribution, and use in a place.

What does the word economy most likely mean in this passage?

While studying early Texas, our group compared a republic to other forms of government. In a republic, voters choose representatives who make laws under a constitution; it's like selecting a team captain to speak for the class. We contrasted this with a monarchy, where power passes by birth, and with a military dictatorship, where orders flow from one ruler. The Republic of Texas elected presidents and senators, debated treaties, and created courts that answered to the people. Those examples and the analogy clarify that republic describes a government based on elected representation, not simply any public place or a king's domain.

What does the word republic most likely mean in this passage?