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Primary sourceDocument1 March 1845

Joint Resolution for Annexing Texas to the United States

U.S. Congress · 1 March 1845

The congressional resolution John Tyler signed in March 1845 to annex Texas just before leaving office.

Tyler signed this resolution days before leaving office, completing the annexation of Texas.

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Source: Wikisource

About this source

What it is

This is the Joint Resolution passed by the 28th Congress and signed by President John Tyler on March 1, 1845, consenting to the annexation of Texas as a new state. It is held by the U.S. National Archives.

Why it matters

The Senate had refused to ratify a treaty of annexation, so Congress instead passed this resolution by simple majority, a method Tyler supported and signed into law days before leaving office. It shows how Tyler pursued territorial expansion and used a political workaround to achieve a major goal of his presidency.

Look closer

  • Why might Congress use a joint resolution instead of a treaty to annex territory?
  • What does the timing of this signing, just before Tyler left office, suggest about his priorities?
  • What questions does the document leave unanswered about how Texas would actually become a state?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of John Tyler on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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