---
title: "Texas Declaration Of Independence | Texas History"
description: "Texas Declaration of Independence: the 1836 document that broke Texas from Mexico, listed grievances, and set up the Republic of Texas."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/hs-texas-history/key-terms/texas-declaration-of-independence"
type: "key-term"
subject: "Texas History"
unit: "Unit 1"
---

# Texas Declaration Of Independence | Texas History

## Definition

The Texas Declaration of Independence is the 1836 document that announced Texas was breaking away from Mexico. In Texas History, it marks the start of the Republic of Texas and the formal answer to Mexican rule.

## What It Is

The Texas Declaration of Independence is the official statement adopted on March 2, 1836, by delegates at the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos. It declared that Texas was no longer part of Mexico and claimed the right to form its own government.

In Texas History, this document is tied directly to the Texas Revolution. It was not just a symbolic announcement. The delegates wrote it while fighting was already happening, so it worked as both a political break and a wartime statement. That timing matters because it shows how urgent the situation had become for Texas leaders.

The declaration listed grievances against the Mexican government and, especially, against President Antonio López de Santa Anna. The delegates complained about centralism, which meant power was being pulled away from local and state governments and concentrated in the national government. Many Texans saw that as a violation of the rights they believed had been promised under earlier Mexican arrangements.

The document also gives you a window into the political ideas of the revolutionaries. They argued for self-government, individual rights, and a new republic. That language connects the declaration to the Constitution of 1836, which came soon after and created the framework for the Republic of Texas.

This is also why the declaration shows up again later when you study annexation. Once Texas became independent, the next big question was whether it would stay a separate republic or join the United States. So the declaration is both an ending and a beginning, the break from Mexico and the first step toward statehood.

A common mistake is treating it like a simple copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. It was influenced by that tradition, but its claims were rooted in the specific problems of Mexican Texas, including centralism, military conflict, and tensions between Anglo-American settlers and the Mexican government.

## Why It Matters

The Texas Declaration of Independence matters because it helps you explain why Texas became an independent republic instead of just another rebellious province. It is one of the clearest primary-source statements of what the revolutionaries thought was wrong with Mexican rule.

When you read about the Texas Revolution, this document gives structure to the story. Battles like Gonzales, the Alamo, Goliad, and San Jacinto make more sense when you know the delegates were already making a formal political break while the war was still unfolding.

It also connects two major course ideas, revolution and statehood. The declaration led into the Republic of Texas, then into the long debate over annexation by the United States. If you understand the declaration, you can trace how Texas moved from Mexican territory to an independent nation and then to U.S. statehood.

In essays and short answers, it is a useful piece of evidence because it shows both motives and consequences. You can use it to discuss grievances against Santa Anna, the rise of centralism, and the push for self-rule.

## Connections

### Texas Revolution

The declaration belongs inside the Texas Revolution, not outside it. It was adopted during the conflict, so it shows the moment when rebellion turned into formal independence. When you connect the document to the war, you can explain both the military fighting and the political argument behind it.

### [Centralism](/hs-texas-history/key-terms/centralism)

Centralism is one of the biggest reasons the delegates said they were leaving Mexico. Mexican leaders, especially Santa Anna, pushed power toward the national government and away from local control. The declaration uses that conflict to justify independence, so this term explains the grievance behind the document.

### Republic of Texas

The declaration is the document that made the Republic of Texas possible. It did not just complain about Mexico, it announced a new political identity. When you study the republic, this declaration is the starting point for understanding its government, diplomacy, and later push for annexation.

### Annexation

Annexation comes later, after Texas has already been an independent republic. The declaration matters because it created the separate nation that the United States later considered annexing. If you track the timeline, the declaration is the first step in the path from Mexican Texas to U.S. statehood.

## On the AP Exam

On a timeline ID question, you should connect the Texas Declaration of Independence to March 2, 1836, Washington-on-the-Brazos, and the start of the Republic of Texas. On a short answer or essay prompt, use it as evidence that Texas leaders rejected Mexican centralism and wanted self-government. If you get a primary-source question, look for language about grievances, Santa Anna, rights, or independence from Mexico. In a multiple-choice item, the best answer will usually be the one that links the document to the Texas Revolution rather than to annexation alone. If a prompt asks why Texas changed politically in 1836, this declaration is one of your strongest pieces of proof.

## Texas Declaration of Independence vs Texas Constitution of 1836

The Texas Declaration of Independence announced separation from Mexico. The Constitution of 1836 came after that and set up how the new Republic of Texas would actually work. One is the break, the other is the government built after the break.

## Key Takeaways

- The Texas Declaration of Independence was adopted on March 2, 1836, and formally declared Texas independent from Mexico.
- It was written during the Texas Revolution, so it reflects wartime urgency as well as political resistance.
- The document criticized Mexican centralism and Santa Anna’s actions, which many Texans saw as a threat to local rights and self-government.
- It helped launch the Republic of Texas, making it a turning point between rebellion and state-building.
- You can use it to connect the Texas Revolution, the Constitution of 1836, and later annexation to the United States.

## FAQs

### What is the Texas Declaration of Independence in Texas History?

It is the 1836 document that declared Texas separate from Mexico and called for independent government. In Texas History, it marks the formal break that created the Republic of Texas.

### Why did Texas declare independence from Mexico?

The delegates argued that Mexico, especially under Santa Anna, had become too centralized and had ignored the rights of Texans. The declaration turns those political complaints into a formal break from Mexican rule.

### How is the Texas Declaration of Independence different from the Constitution of 1836?

The declaration announces independence, while the constitution organizes the new republic after independence. If you mix them up, think of the declaration as the exit statement and the constitution as the rulebook for the new government.

### How do I use the Texas Declaration of Independence in an essay?

Use it as evidence for why Texans rebelled and what they wanted instead. It works well when you are explaining centralism, the Texas Revolution, or how Texas moved from Mexican territory to an independent republic.

## Related Study Guides

- [1.4 Mexican Texas and the Texas Revolution](/hs-texas-history/unit-1/mexican-texas-texas-revolution/study-guide/xAZP9opo9B2wAiNH)
- [2.2 Annexation of Texas by the United States](/hs-texas-history/unit-2/annexation-texas-united-states/study-guide/yCpa2ngRSDgxd3X9)

## About This Document

Canonical Fiveable pages are available as Markdown at the same path plus `.md`.

- [llms.txt](https://fiveable.me/llms.txt): index of Fiveable's sections and URL patterns
- [llms-full.txt](https://fiveable.me/llms-full.txt): complete subject and unit listing
- [MCP server](https://fiveable.me/mcp): call Fiveable as tools instead of fetching pages (`https://fiveable.me/api/mcp`)
- [MCP server for AP teachers](https://fiveable.me/mcp/teachers): a teacher's classes, assignments and AP-rubric grading (`https://fiveable.me/api/mcp/teacher`)

## Structured Data

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"LearningResource","@id":"https://fiveable.me/hs-texas-history/key-terms/texas-declaration-of-independence#resource","name":"Texas Declaration Of Independence | Texas History","url":"https://fiveable.me/hs-texas-history/key-terms/texas-declaration-of-independence","learningResourceType":"Concept explainer","educationalLevel":"AP® / High School","about":{"@id":"https://fiveable.me/hs-texas-history/key-terms/texas-declaration-of-independence#term"},"audience":{"@type":"EducationalAudience","educationalRole":"student"},"dateModified":"2026-07-03T02:22:04.816Z","isPartOf":{"@type":"Collection","name":"Texas History Key Terms","url":"https://fiveable.me/hs-texas-history/key-terms"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Fiveable","url":"https://fiveable.me"}},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","@id":"https://fiveable.me/hs-texas-history/key-terms/texas-declaration-of-independence#term","name":"Texas Declaration of Independence","description":"The Texas Declaration of Independence is the 1836 document that announced Texas was breaking away from Mexico. In Texas History, it marks the start of the Republic of Texas and the formal answer to Mexican rule.","url":"https://fiveable.me/hs-texas-history/key-terms/texas-declaration-of-independence","inDefinedTermSet":{"@type":"DefinedTermSet","name":"Texas History Key Terms","url":"https://fiveable.me/hs-texas-history/key-terms"}},{"@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the Texas Declaration of Independence in Texas History?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"It is the 1836 document that declared Texas separate from Mexico and called for independent government. In Texas History, it marks the formal break that created the Republic of Texas."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Why did Texas declare independence from Mexico?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The delegates argued that Mexico, especially under Santa Anna, had become too centralized and had ignored the rights of Texans. The declaration turns those political complaints into a formal break from Mexican rule."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How is the Texas Declaration of Independence different from the Constitution of 1836?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The declaration announces independence, while the constitution organizes the new republic after independence. If you mix them up, think of the declaration as the exit statement and the constitution as the rulebook for the new government."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I use the Texas Declaration of Independence in an essay?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Use it as evidence for why Texans rebelled and what they wanted instead. It works well when you are explaining centralism, the Texas Revolution, or how Texas moved from Mexican territory to an independent republic."}}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Texas History","item":"https://fiveable.me/hs-texas-history"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Key Terms","item":"https://fiveable.me/hs-texas-history/key-terms"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Unit 1","item":"https://fiveable.me/hs-texas-history/unit-1"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Texas Declaration of Independence"}]}]}
```