For approximately 10 years in the early to mid-1800s, Texas was its own independent nation. In a video posted by NowThis on their YouTube channel, it’s explained that at that time, the state wasn’t in a very good position economically (amassing a large debt), nor was it able to properly police or defend itself. It did, however, maintain a quiet trade policy with Britain. British foreign policy when dealing with trade had some underpinnings that would require Texas, the country, to abolish slavery in order to keep that trade partnership. Hence, to circumvent that matter, the U.S. negotiated the annexation of Texas into the fold as the 28th state, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Since then, however, there has been popular discussion about the provision of a “Texit” clause, whereby the state of Texas could become a country of its own accord once again. NowThis takes a look at the actual possibility and legalities of such a vote for seceding, and what would be required for this to eventually take place. Since the U.S. Constitution neither allows nor prohibits individual state secession, the decision would ultimately be a matter for the Supreme Court, which did in fact already happen once before, in 1869.