Based on the information typically associated with the annexation of Texas, the main reasons Congress initially refused to annex Texas that are supported by historical context include:
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If the United States annexed Texas, it would almost certainly mean war with Mexico. - This reflects the geopolitical concerns at the time regarding Mexico's claim over Texas and the potential for conflict resulting from annexation.
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If the United States annexed Texas, it would enter as a free state and anger Southerners. - This concern relates to the balance of power between free and slave states, particularly in the context of the sectional tensions that were growing in the period leading up to the Civil War.
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If the United States annexed Texas, slave states would almost certainly outnumber free states. - This addresses the fears that annexing Texas would disrupt the balance between slave and free states in Congress, which was a significant issue of contention in U.S. politics at the time.
The option about jeopardizing the country's other claims in California is less commonly cited as a primary reason and is not central to the debates surrounding Texas annexation.
Therefore, the supported reasons would be:
- If the United States annexed Texas, it would almost certainly mean war with Mexico.
- If the United States annexed Texas, it would enter as a free state and anger Southerners.
- If the United States annexed Texas, slave states would almost certainly outnumber free states.