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.
The boundaries of Texas, particularly at the time of its annexation to the United States, were significantly influenced by the issue of slavery. However, the choices you've provided are somewhat repetitive and don't capture the complexity of the issue.
Slavery played an essential role in Texas's admission to the United States and the setting of its boundaries, but it would not be accurate to say that the explicit purpose of the borders was to continue slavery. The institution of slavery was one factor among many in the discussions and negotiations about Texas's borders. The debates over Texas's boundaries were influenced by a combination of geopolitical, economic, and ideological interests, with the extension of slavery being an issue of contention.
When Texas was annexed into the United States in 1845, it was admitted as a slave state. However, the exact role of slavery in shaping Texas's eventual boundaries was more indirect than direct.
The Missouri Compromise of 1820, which attempted to balance the power between slave and free states, had established that slavery was not to be permitted in the territories north of the 36°30' parallel. Texas, being south of this line, was not affected by the compromise directly in terms of its boundaries, but the balance of power was a concern for the U.S. Congress when considering the annexation of Texas.
After Texas's annexation, the disputes leading up to the Compromise of 1850, which included decisions about the borders of the newly acquired lands from Mexico (including Texas's current western boundaries), considered the spread of slavery into the new territories. Part of the controversy was that the expansion of Texas's boundaries could potentially influence the balance between slave and free states.
Under the Compromise of 1850, Texas sold parts of its territory to the federal government (including areas that would become parts of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming), in return for debt relief. This agreement reduced Texas to its present size. The decision was influenced not solely by slavery but also by debt and the political and practical considerations of managing such a large territory.
In conclusion, while slavery was a significant factor in the politics of the time and influenced decisions about statehood and territory in broad terms, it would not be historically accurate to attribute the setting of Texas's specific border solely to the intention of continuing slavery. Instead, slavery was a key issue within the wider context of the politics and negotiations that led to the establishment of Texas's boundaries.