What role did slavery play in shaping Texas’s boundaries?(1 point) Responses The western border of Texas was set so Texas could continue slavery. The western border of Texas was set so Texas could continue slavery. The southern border of Texas was set so Texas could continue slavery. The southern border of Texas was set so Texas could continue slavery. The northern border of Texas was set so Texas could continue slavery. The northern border of Texas was set so Texas could continue slavery. The northern border of Texas was set so Texas could become a free state. which answer
None of the listed responses accurately describe how slavery shaped Texas's boundaries as they primarily focus on a single cardinal direction and make generalized and repeated claims. However, the historical context does show that slavery played a significant role in the annexation of Texas and its eventual state boundaries.
The annexation of Texas into the United States was heavily influenced by the institution of slavery. When Texas declared independence from Mexico in 1836, one of the contributing factors was Mexico's abolition of slavery. Many settlers from the southern United States had brought enslaved people with them to Texas, and they wanted to continue the practice. After the Texas Revolution, the Republic of Texas was a nation where slavery was legal.
When Texas was annexed by the United States in 1845, it was admitted as a slave state. The boundaries of Texas were not explicitly set to continue slavery; however, given that slavery was legal and there were economic interests in maintaining and expanding it, the resulting annexation and statehood inherently allowed the continuation of slavery within its borders.
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 and later the Compromise of 1850 were instrumental in determining the boundaries of slave and free states, influencing the shape of Texas. Specifically, the Compromise of 1850 established Texas's current northern and western boundaries and addressed the issue of slavery by providing that Texas would cede some of its territory in exchange for debt relief, and that in the new territories (such as New Mexico and Utah), the question of whether to allow slavery would be decided by the settlers (popular sovereignty).
Slavery played a role in the political machinations surrounding Texas's statehood, but the specific language of "the northern/southern/western border of Texas was set so Texas could continue slavery" is too simplistic and doesn’t accurately reflect the complexity of historical events.