Texas: Polity Style: 1846-2026

29 Dec 1845	the Constitution of the State of Texas is approved, Texas is admitted to the United States under the name of the State of Texas, in accordance with a resolution of the Congress of the United States (passed by the House of Representatives on 16 Dec 1845, Senate on 22 Dec 1845), approved by the President of the United States on 29 Dec 1845 (Statutes at Large, 9:108)
16 Feb 1846	the Constitution of the State of Texas comes into operation from and after the organization of the state government, upon the convening of the Legislature on 16 Feb 1846 in Austin, as required by Article 13, Section 6, of the Constitution (Texas National Register, No. 45, 15 Nov 1845, p. 7) [1]
16 Feb 1846 -	State of Texas
1 Feb 1861	an ordinance of secession is adopted at the session of the Convention held in Austin on 1 Feb 1861 and submitted for ratification by the people of Texas (Texas Convention 1861, pp. 48-49, 54-57; Gammel's Laws of Texas, 4:1519-1520)
2 Mar 1861	Texas is admitted to the Confederate States of America in accordance with an act passed by the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States on 2 Mar 1861 and signed into law on 2 Mar 1861 (Confederate Congress Journal, 1:97; Confederate Statutes at Large, p. 44) [2][3]
4 Mar 1861	Texas seceded from the United States in accordance with the ordinance of secession, ratified by popular vote on 23 Feb 1861; the results were verified by the committee appointed by the Convention and declared by a proclamation of the Governor of Texas issued on 4 Mar 1861, retroactively effective from 2 Mar 1861, the date prescribed by Section 2 of the ordinance (Texas Convention 1861, pp. 87-90; Dallas Herald, No. 24, 20 Mar 1861, p. 1) [4][5]
15 Mar 1866	the ordinance of secession is declared null and void in accordance with an ordinance adopted at the session of the Convention held in Austin on 15 Mar 1866 (Texas Convention 1866, pp. 159-165, 183-184; Gammel's Laws of Texas, 5:887) [6]
30 Mar 1870	Texas is re-admitted to representation in the Congress of the United States in accordance with an act passed by the Congress of the United States (Senate on 29 Mar 1870, House of Representatives on 30 Mar 1870), signed into law on 30 Mar 1870 (Statutes at Large, 16:80-81) [7]

The date of the coming into effect of the Constitution of 1845 is upheld by a ruling of the Supreme Court of Texas in Cocke v. Calkin & Co. (Texas Supreme Court Cases 1846-1847, 1:542ff).
Full title: An Act to admit Texas as a member of the Confederate States of America.
The ordinance of secession of Texas was adopted by the State Convention on 1 Feb 1861. While awaiting ratification by the people, it was submitted to the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States on 15 Feb 1861, and the delegates of Texas were admitted on 16 Feb 1861 without voting rights. Texas was formally admitted as a member of the Confederate States, and its delegates were granted voting rights on 2 Mar 1861, prior to the date (15 Mar 1861) when the certified results of the referendum were communicated to Congress.
Full title: An Ordinance to dissolve the Union between the State of Texas and the other States united under the Compact styled the Constitution of the United States of America.
The ordinance of secession provided for ratification by the people of Texas and fixed 2 Mar 1861 as the date on which it would take effect. However, the returns of the popular vote were not verified until 4 Mar 1861.
Full title: An Ordinance, Declaring the Ordinance of Secession Null and Void.
Full title: An Act to Admit the State of Texas to Representation in the Congress of the United States.