Independent minded Texans started the Texas War of Independence in 1835 when Mexico made Texas a state in 1821. Consequently, San Antonio and Alamo were captured. The Republic of Texas was born in 1836 when the Mexicans were routed by Sam Houston’s army at San Jacinto. With the discovery of oil in the 170, and the establishment of petroleum and petrochemical industries, Texas became one of the largest suppliers of oil in America. However, the bust was bigger in the 1980s which witnessed thousands of people leaving their homes overnight. Diversification became the talk of the town in the 1990s which saw world class medical facilities booming in Houston along with other high-end industries.

Texas is located in the west south-central US, Texas is the largest of the 48 conterminous states. Texas's US rank slipped to 2nd when Alaska entered the Union in 1959.Texas covers a total area of 266,807 sq mi (691,030 sq km), of which land comprises 262,017 sq mi (678,624 sq km) and inland water 4,790 sq mi (12,406 sq km).

Texas is bordered on the North by Oklahoma and Arkansas; on the East by Arkansas and Louisiana; on the South East by the Gulf of Mexico; on the South West by the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Coahuila, and Chihuahua; and on the West by New Mexico.

Large islands in the Gulf of Mexico belonging to Texas are Galveston, Matagorda, and Padre.