Redbacks and Recklessness: The Money Mess That Sank Texas

Texas Tales

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What happens when a country prints its own money with no real plan to back it up? Welcome to the wild financial experiment of the Republic of Texas! In this episode, we dive into the history of the Redback, the infamous Texas currency introduced by President Mirabeau Lamar. Lamar had big dreams—expanding Texas, driving out Native Americans, and keeping the Republic independent from the United States. But his economic policies? Well… let’s just say they were a disaster.

With reckless spending, a shrinking economy, and a currency that rapidly became worth less than the paper it was printed on, Texas found itself drowning in debt. By the time Sam Houston returned to office, Texas was broke, the Redback was worthless, and annexation into the U.S. was looking less like an option and more like a lifeline.

Join us as we unravel this chaotic chapter of Texas history with fascinating stories, colorful characters, and a few good laughs. How did the Redback become a financial punchline? What were Lamar’s biggest mistakes? And did Texas really have a currency that was worth more as wallpaper than money? Tune in to find out!

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