coast line of states as far south as Georgia. The next
state admitted is Missouri (1821), the "Iron," followed by Arkansas,
the "Bear" (1836), to be followed in turn by Michigan (1836), the
"Lake" or "Wolverine" state, the thirteenth state to be admitted; and
the stars in our flag are now doubled.

The first census of the United States was taken in 1790, and the
Constitution provided that it must be taken every ten years
thereafter. In that year, the order of states in rank of population
was as follows: Virginia first, Pennsylvania second, North Carolina
third, Massachusetts fourth, and New York fifth.

The census of 1820 makes a decided change, we find, in the order of
population, and New York comes first, Virginia second, Pennsylvania
third, North Carolina fourth, Ohio fifth, Kentucky sixth, and
Massachusetts seventh.

The states of Florida and Texas came into the Union in the same
year--the one March 3 and the other December 29, 1845; and thereby
hangs a tale. It had been claimed by our government that Texas was
included in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803; but the Mexicans claimed
it also, and, in 1819, in order to close the deal for the purchase of
Florida, our government was obliged to relinquish its claim to Texas.
At this time the possession of Florida was more desirable and
necessary to the peace of our country than the {333} possession of
Texas; it was under Spanish rule, overrun with outlaws and a most
undesirable neighbor, besides being very necessary to the rounding out
of our coast territory.

The Mexican War

The annexation and admission of Texas into the Union in 1845 came
about through the pioneering and settlement of our people in her
territory; where at first welcomed and encouraged by the Mexicans,
they were later deluged in blood. The spirit of Americanism grew
rampant under the barbaric and military despotism of the Mexican
government, and in 1835 there was an uprising of the settlers led by a
pioneer, an ex-governor of Tennessee, Gen. Samuel Houston, the man
for whom the city of Houston, Texas, was named. At this time there
were about ten thousand Americans in Texas, and on March 2, 1836,
through their representatives in convention assembled, these Americans
in true Revolutionary spirit declared Texas an independent republic.
The Mexican government tried to put down this rebellion, but met with
a crushing defeat, and Texas, the "Lone Star" state, remained an
independent republic up to the