Texas looms large, and not only in the imaginations of Texans. Once a separate nation, and today bigger than both England and France combined, it's a place that dreams big and walks tall, where the sky and ranches -- and, Texans hope, the possibilities -- are massive. The history of Texas is laced with events and heroes large and legendary, many of which have catapulted into state and national lore. In many ways Texas has come to symbolize the nation's westward expansion, its complicated struggle for independence, and the dearly held mystique of a land of opportunity and wide-open spaces. Texas's complex settlement pattern -- the territory was claimed by Spain, France, and Mexico before becoming an independent republic and then the 28th state in the Union in 1845 -- supports its mythic status. "Six flags" really did famously fly over the state from the 16th to the 19th century, during which time there were eight changes of government. Even though the state has increasingly become one of immigrants from other states and other nations south of the border, Texans continue to exhibit a fiercely independent streak. The pages that follow explore the state's history and provide a primer on its unique culture.
Texas Types
The Wildcatter: An independent oilman, a gambler at heart whose fortunes rise and fall with the oil and gas industry.
The Roughneck: Laborer who operates the oil rigs. Often itinerant or immigrant -- down and dirty and flush with cash. A Texas sailor.
The Maverick: Originally denoted an unbranded calf, but came to be understood as a Texas archetype: the nonconformist, independent-thinking man (or woman!).
