History of Texas in Timeline
Texas, located in the South Central region of the United States, is the second-largest state in both area and population, boasting over 31 million residents as of 2024. It shares borders with Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and four Mexican states, as well as having a coastline on the Gulf of Mexico. Known as the Lone Star State, it derives this nickname from its history as the independent Republic of Texas.
1900: Galveston Hurricane
In 1900, Texas suffered the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history during the Galveston hurricane.
January 10, 1901: Discovery of Spindletop
On January 10, 1901, the first major oil well in Texas, Spindletop, was found south of Beaumont, transforming the state's economy.
1901: Poll Tax and White Primaries Established
In 1901, the Democratic-dominated state legislature passed a bill requiring payment of a poll tax for voting and established white primaries, disenfranchising minorities.
1912: Socialist Party Popularity
After 1912, the Socialist Party became the second-largest party in Texas, coinciding with a large socialist upsurge in the United States.
1915: 1915 Galveston Hurricane
In 1915, the Galveston hurricane was one of the devastating Texas hurricanes.
1940: Texas Population Demographics
In 1940, Texas was 74% White, 14.4% Black, and 11.5% Hispanic.
1950: "Everything is bigger in Texas" in use
By 1950, the phrase "everything is bigger in Texas" was in regular use.
1957: Hurricane Audrey
In 1957, Hurricane Audrey was one of the devastating Texas hurricanes.
1959: Alaska becomes a state
In 1959, Alaska became a state, making Texas the second-largest U.S. state.
1961: Hurricane Carla
In 1961, Hurricane Carla was one of the devastating Texas hurricanes.
1967: Hurricane Beulah
In 1967, Hurricane Beulah was one of the devastating Texas hurricanes.
1972: Peak Oil Production
In 1972, oil production in Texas averaged three million barrels per day at its peak.
1976: Resumption of capital punishment
Since the US Supreme Court allowed capital punishment to resume in 1976, 40% of all U.S. executions have taken place in Texas.
1979: Tropical Storm Claudette
In 1979, Tropical Storm Claudette caused damage to Texas.
1980: San Antonio evolves into "The Tejano Music Capital Of The World"
Since 1980, San Antonio has become recognized as "The Tejano Music Capital Of The World".
1980: Republican support in Texas presidential elections
Since 1980, most Texas voters have supported Republican presidential candidates.
1983: Hurricane Alicia
In 1983, Hurricane Alicia was one of the devastating Texas hurricanes.
1986: "Don't Mess with Texas" campaign inception
In 1986, the "Don't Mess with Texas" slogan began as an anti-littering advertisement campaign, later evolving into a cultural identity statement.
1989: Tropical Storm Allison
In 1989, Tropical storm Allison caused damage to Texas.
1990: Hispanic Population Surpasses Black Population
By 1990, Hispanics and Latino Americans overtook Blacks to become the largest minority group in Texas.
1994: Democrats out of statewide office
Since 1994, Texans have not elected a Democrat to a statewide office.
1996: DART begins light rail operations
In 1996, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) initiated the first light rail system in the Southwest United States.
1996: Hopwood v. Texas case
In 1996, the Hopwood v. Texas case influenced Texas's alternative affirmative action plan, Texas House Bill 588.
1997: Texas Motor Speedway hosts NASCAR and IndyCar races
Since 1997, Texas Motor Speedway has been the venue for annual NASCAR Cup Series and IndyCar Series auto races.
2000: Redistricting following the census
In 2000, Texas had already redistricted following the census.
2000: Foreign-Born Residents in 2000
In 2000, the population of foreign-born residents was 2,899,642.
2001: Tropical Storm Allison
In 2001, Tropical storm Allison caused damage to Texas.
2002: Texas Leads U.S. in Export Revenue
Since 2002, Texas has led the U.S. in state export revenue.
2003: Texas redistricting led by Tom DeLay
In 2003, Texas underwent a redistricting of Congressional districts led by Republican Tom DeLay, which was described as "an extreme case of partisan gerrymandering".
2004: Christmas Eve Snowstorm
In 2004, on Christmas Eve, 6 inches (150 mm) of snow fell as far south as Kingsville, where the average high temperature in December is 65 °F.
2005: Hurricane Rita
In 2005, Hurricane Rita was one of the devastating Texas hurricanes.
May 2006: Texas initiates "code red"
In May 2006, Texas initiated the "code red" program due to the state having the largest proportion of the population without health insurance (25.1 percent) in the nation.
2006: Texas school spending
In 2006, Texas spent $7,275 per pupil, below the national average.
2006: League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry
In 2006, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Texas (and Republicans) in the case League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry, a legal challenge to the redistricting.
2007: Texas residents engaging in exercise
According to a 2007 study, Texas ranked forty-second in the percentage of residents who engage in regular exercise.
2007: Texas school spending
In 2007, Texas spent $7,275 per pupil, below the national average.
2008: Hurricane Ike
In 2008, Hurricane Ike was one of the devastating Texas hurricanes.
2010: Population Density of Texas
As of 2010, Texas's population density was 96.3 people per square mile (37.2 people/km).
2010: Maternal mortality rate in Texas begins increasing
From 2010 to 2014, the rate by which Texas women died from pregnancy-related complications doubled.
2010: Emission Events in Texas
In 2010, there were 2,553 "emission events" in Texas which poured 44.6 million pounds (20,200 metric tons) of contaminants into the Texas sky.
2010: Texas Population in 2010 Census
The 2010 census recorded a Texas population of 29,145,505, a 15.9% increase.
2011: School corporal punishment in Texas
In 2011, 28,569 public school students were paddled at least one time.
2011: STAAR testing implementation
In 2011, Texas began using the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test.
2011: Colonias in Texas
In 2011, the Texas Attorney General stated that Texas had about 2,294 colonias, and estimates about 500,000 lived in the colonias.
2012: Pause of the athletics portion of the Lone Star Showdown rivalry
In 2012, the athletics portion of the Lone Star Showdown rivalry between Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin was paused due to Texas A&M joining the SEC.
2012: School corporal punishment in Texas
In the 2011-2012 school year, 28,569 public school students were paddled at least one time, making Texas one of the states with a high rate of corporal punishment.
2012: STAAR testing implementation
In the 2011-2012 school year, Texas replaced the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test with the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR).
2012: Circuit of the Americas hosts Formula 1
Since 2012, Austin's Circuit of the Americas has hosted a round of the Formula 1 World Championship.
2014: Decrease in Undocumented Immigrants since 2014
According to the American Community Survey's 2019 estimates, there was a decrease of 103,000 undocumented residents since 2014.
2014: Migration from U.S.-Mexico Border
During the 2014 crisis, Texas's Rio Grande Valley saw significant migration from across the U.S.–Mexico border, including Central Americans seeking asylum.
2014: Texas maternal mortality rate
From 2010 to 2014, the maternal mortality rate in Texas doubled, to 23.8 per 100,000.
2014: Undocumented Immigrants in Texas
In 2014, there were an estimated 1.7 million undocumented immigrants in Texas, making up 35% of the total Texas immigrant population and 6.1% of the total state population.
2014: Tea Party gains in Texas elections
In the 2014 Texas elections, the Tea Party movement experienced significant gains, with several Tea Party favorites being elected into office.
2015: Foreign-Born Residents in Texas
In 2015, Texas had 4.7 million foreign-born residents, about 17% of the population.
2016: Increase in Undocumented Immigrants since 2016
According to the American Community Survey's 2019 estimates, there was an increase of 142,000 undocumented residents since 2016.
2017: Texas Greenhouse Gas Emissions
As of 2017, Texas emitted the most greenhouse gases in the U.S., about 1,600 billion pounds (707 million metric tons) of carbon dioxide annually.
2017: Hurricane Harvey
In 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Rockport as a Category 4 Hurricane, causing widespread and catastrophic flooding and becoming the costliest hurricane worldwide.
2018: Increase in Foreign-Born Residents
As of 2018, the population increased to 4.9 million foreign-born residents or 17.2% of the state population, up from 2,899,642 in 2000.
2018: Texas incarceration rate
In 2018, Texas had the 8th highest incarceration rate in the U.S.
2019: Undocumented Immigrant Population
According to the American Community Survey's 2019 estimates, 1,739,000 residents were undocumented immigrants.
2019: Tropical Storm Imelda
In 2019, Tropical Storm Imelda caused damage to Texas.
2019: Texas Growth Rate
In 2019, a study determined Texas's growth rate at 1,000 people per day.
2019: Texas Population Demographics
In 2019, non-Hispanic Whites represented 41.2% of Texas's population, and Hispanics or Latino Americans of any race made up 39.7% of the estimated population.
March 4, 2020: First Confirmed COVID-19 Case
On March 4, 2020, the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was announced in Texas.
April 27, 2020: Phase One of Re-Opening
On April 27, 2020, Governor Greg Abbott announced phase one of re-opening the Texas economy.
November 2020: Texas Selected for Vaccine Distribution Testing
In November 2020, Texas was selected as one of four states to test Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
2020: Texas Cities Population
As of 2020, six Texas cities had populations greater than 600,000.
2020: Texas Racial and Ethnic Composition
At the 2020 census, the racial and ethnic composition of Texas was 42.5% White, 11.8% Black, 5.4% Asian, and 40.2% Hispanic and Latino American of any race.
2020: University rankings in Texas
In 2020, The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University were ranked as the 21st and 41st best universities in the nation, respectively, according to the Center for World University Rankings report.
2020: Texas Population in 2020 Census
In the 2020 census, the resident population of Texas was 29,145,505.
February 2, 2021: COVID-19 Cases in Texas
As of February 2, 2021, there had been over 2.4 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Texas, with at least 37,417 deaths.
May 2021: Texas Heartbeat Act passed
In May 2021, the Texas legislature passed the Texas Heartbeat Act, banning abortion from as early as six weeks of pregnancy.
2021: Winter Storm Uri
During February 13–17, 2021, Texas faced a major weather emergency as Winter Storm Uri hit the state, causing a power crisis and leaving millions without power or potable water.
2021: North American Winter Storm
During February 13–17, 2021, an arctic air mass penetrated Texas, resulting in crises such as the 2021 Texas power crisis.
2021: Inaugural season of the Panther City Lacrosse Club
In 2021, the Panther City Lacrosse Club played their inaugural season at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
July 2, 2022: Texas Population Surpasses 30 Million
As of July 2, 2022, Texas surpassed a total estimated population of 30 million people.
August 25, 2022: Law making abortion a felony takes effect
On August 25, 2022, a law took effect in Texas making abortion at any stage of pregnancy a felony punishable by life in prison.
2022: Homeless Population in Texas
According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 24,432 homeless people in Texas.
2022: Texas midterm elections
As of the midterm elections of 2022, a large majority of the members of Texas's U.S. House delegation are Republican, along with both U.S. Senators.
2022: Panther City Lacrosse Club continues local matches
In 2022, the Panther City Lacrosse Club continued playing local matches at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
July 1, 2024: Texas Population Estimate
As of July 1, 2024, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population of Texas was 31,290,831.
2024: Texas Population in 2024
As of 2024, Texas had over 31 million residents, making it the second-largest state by both area and population in the United States.
2024: Resumption of the athletics portion of the Lone Star Showdown rivalry
In 2024, the athletics portion of the Lone Star Showdown rivalry resumed when the University of Texas joined Texas A&M in the SEC.
