Texas State Constitution of 1845
State Archives Division--Texas State Library

Under the terms of the Joint Resolution, Texas was required to do three things: hold a convention to declare its desire to join the United States; hold a referendum for the people to ratify its decision; and submit a state constitution. The Texas Constitution of 1845 was modeled on the recently drafted Louisiana Constitution, but as a sign of its times, public office was forbidden to either ministers of the gospel or duellists. Banks were banned, and the formation of any other corporation required a two-thirds vote of the legislature. Daniel Webster declared it the best of all the state constitutions.