Coahuila y Tejas was a short-lived Mexican state that joined the sparsely settled territory of Texas with the more established interior province of Coahuila. Created under the Federal Constitution of 1824, it represented a new administrative structure following Mexico’s independence from Spain.
Under Spanish colonial rule, Texas and Coahuila had been governed separately—Texas as a distant frontier province attached loosely to the commandancy of the Eastern Interior Provinces, and Coahuila as part of the more centralized interior. The merger in 1824 was a product of Mexico’s federal experiment and was driven by population imbalance, resource limitations, and security concerns.
Although the arrangement stemmed from Mexico’s 1824 constitutional structure, it deepened local tensions. For Anglo settlers in Texas, the union with Coahuila symbolized distant governance and unequal political power—tensions that would grow more serious over the next decade and eventually contribute to the movement for Texan independence.
Territory and Boundaries
The state stretched from the interior mountains of Coahuila to the Gulf Coast plains of Texas. Texas itself was designated as the Department of Béxar, while Coahuila was divided into other departments, including Monclova and Río Grande. The two regions had very different populations and economies—Coahuila was more integrated into Mexico, while Texas was dominated by Anglo-American settlers brought in under land grant programs.
The border between Texas and Coahuila was loosely defined in practice, but in theory, the Nueces River served as the southern boundary of Texas within the state.
Capitals and Governance
The official state capital shifted during the life of Coahuila y Tejas. Initially located in Saltillo, it was later moved to Monclova to appease political factions. For Texans, both locations were distant and difficult to reach. The capital was the seat of the state legislature, where laws were passed and governors selected.
Each department sent representatives to the unicameral legislature, but Texas—due to its small formal population—was given limited seats. The state was governed by an elected governor, a vice governor, and a legislature responsible for taxation, military organization, and local laws. Texas also had a political chief in San Antonio who reported to the state government.
Legal and Constitutional Framework
Coahuila y Tejas was organized under the Federal Constitution of 1824 and operated with its own state constitution, ratified in 1827. These documents gave the state substantial authority over local affairs, in keeping with the federalist ideals of early independent Mexico.
Law in the state was based on Spanish and Mexican civil codes. This included rules governing land ownership, inheritance, marriage, and slavery. Texan settlers, many of whom came from U.S. states with different legal traditions, often found these codes unfamiliar or restrictive—especially regarding property rights and the legal status of enslaved persons.
Representation of Texas
While Texas was legally part of the state, its influence in the legislature was minor. The small number of seats assigned to Texas did not reflect the growing Anglo population. This imbalance fueled growing dissatisfaction, particularly as new immigrants arrived under empresario contracts and found their interests sidelined.
Texan delegates such as Stephen F. Austin frequently petitioned for reforms—including a move of the capital closer to Texas or outright separation from Coahuila. These efforts were mostly unsuccessful, though they laid the groundwork for later calls for autonomy and independence.
Administrative Legacy
Despite its short existence, Coahuila y Tejas helped shape Texas’s early political development. Land distribution systems, court structures, and municipal government in early Texas all had roots in this period. It also exposed Texan settlers to Mexican political culture, including elections, constitutional debate, and the use of civil rather than common law.
Many future leaders of the Texas Revolution and Republic of Texas first entered public life under the government of Coahuila y Tejas.
End of the State
The state of Coahuila y Tejas was effectively abolished in late 1835, when President Santa Anna dissolved the federal system and replaced it with centralized military departments. This act violated the 1824 Constitution and alienated many in Texas who had supported Mexican federalism.
Texan resistance turned into open revolt by the end of 1835. When Texas declared independence in March 1836, it formally severed ties not only with the Mexican central government but also with Coahuila, its reluctant political partner.
