Inquizitive Ch 2 - Texas Govt
Thirteenth Amendment
abolished slavery
For the Texas government to establish a personal income tax, what conditions would need to be met?
approval by registered voters passage of bill by legislature, and approval by governor revenue must be dedicated to education and tax relief
Which statement(s) regarding the number of amendments to the Texas Constitution over time is/are correct?
attempts to amend the constitution since 2000 have largely been successful
Fifteenth Amendment
bans race discrimination in voting
The --- has largely been applied to place restrictions on states through the equal protection clause of the ---.
bill of rights fourteenth amendment
How do both the U.S. and Texas constitutions seek to prevent tyranny?
checks and balances separation of powers natural self-interests
Which of the following concepts in the Texas Constitution of 1836 were adapted from Spanish-Mexican law?
community property homestead protections government retention of mineral rights
The 1876 Constitution intentionally weakened the state government and thus cut salaries by doing two things
limited state government power and promotion of agrarian interests
Relative to the U.S. Constitution, the Texas Constitution is ________ and adopts a tone of _________ governance.
longer limited
What clause provides Congress with the power to accomplish its constitutional tasks
necessary and proper clause
The government of Texas is separated into many parts. In addition to having three branches of government, one branch—the executive—is divided into a plural executive with different constituencies. Which of the following has been a difficult outcome of this fractured structure?
outsized influence of energized factions of the public and interest groups
The authors of the Constitution of 1876 gave local schools control of education and allowed parents to choose whether or not to send their children to school. What goal did this accomplish?
prevent the use of tax dollars for racially integrated schools
Which aspects of the Mexican Constitution differ from those of the US Constitution?
the selection of the president, a protection of religious freedom
Which factors gave the Tea Party high rates of success in influencing the outcomes of recent amendment elections in Texas?
unity behind an issue low voter turnout
How do the Texas and U.S. constitutions compare on the issue of impeachment?
Because the legislature can decide what constitutes an impeachable offense, it is far easier to remove an official from office in Texas.
Like the U.S. Constitution that replaced the Articles of Confederation, each successive constitution that has governed Texas can be characterized by which of the following statements?
Constitutions reflect historic experiences and attempts to fix flaws.
How many amendments does the current Texas Constitution have?
515
Which of the following statements about similarities between the Texas Constitution and the U.S. Constitution are true?
Both protect the rights of individual citizens. Both establish the people as the foundational source of government power. Both provide the power for branches to limit the actions of one another. Both give the distinct branches of government autonomous powers.
A general diffusion of knowledge being essential to the preservation of the liberties and rights of the people, it shall be the duty of the Legislature of the State to establish and make suitable provision for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools.
Click on: A general diffusion of knowledge
Which political characteristic of Texas government comes from Texas's experience as part of Spain and Mexico?
Communuty Property
Match the constitutional provisions with either the Texas Constitution of 1845, the Texas Constitution of 1861, or both.
Constitution of 1845 Correct label:provided for possible emancipation of slaves Constitution of 1861 Correct label:declared allegiance to the Confederacy both Correct label:specified a bicameral state legislature Correct label:upheld the ban on the slave trade
The 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision on Obergefell v. Hodges ruled that marriage was a liberty guaranteed to all Americans, including same-sex couples. Texas has sought to limit the impact of the ruling by
Creating policy with language that allows private organizations to refuse service based on religious beliefs
Voter participation in statewide constitutional amendment elections is most likely to see big increases under what circumstances?
Divisive social issues are on the Ballot ex. The largest voter turnout in the last 30 years occurred in the two years when the proposals for banning same-sex marriage and the creation of the lottery appeared on the ballot.
The U.S. Constitution specifies how powers are granted to particular institutions within the states. True or False?
False
What effect did the creation of decentralized boards and districts outside the authority of the governor have on the Texas government?
It created a system more susceptible to special interests. It made it more difficult to revise and reform policies affecting government power.
What effect did the creation of decentralized boards and other districts outside the authority of the governor have on the Texas government?
It created a system more susceptible to special interests. It made it more difficult to revise and reform policies affecting government power.
How does the plural executive, as specified in Article 4 of the Texas Constitution, influence Texas government?
It ensures that each member of the plural executive has an independent base of power. It protects against concentration of power. It diffuses the functions of the executive among multiple offices.
How do the Texas and US constitutions approach the issues of impeachment?
It is easier to impeach an individual in Texas than in the national government
What were some of the primary complaints by Texans about the Mexican government prior to declaring independence from Mexico?
Mexican policies limited immigration from the United States to Texas. Texans felt they weren't given enough representation. Education was often offered only in the Spanish language.
Why did Texas declare independence from Mexico in 1836?
Mexico restricted Texans' civil liberties. The influx of American immigrants undermined Mexican control.
What is the most consequential way in which Presidential Reconstruction differed from Congressional Reconstruction?
Presidential Reconstruction focused on returning the status quo of the past
Since 1983, Texans have voted to amend the state's constitution dozens of times. Turnout in these elections is always low, even when well-publicized amendments are on the ballot. For example, in 2005, 17 percent of registered voters voted on Proposition 2, which banned same-sex marriage in the state. The graphic shows that while turnout in presidential elections since 1992 has hovered between 50 and 70 percent, turnout in constitutional amendment elections is rarely above 20 percent (and most often, less than 10 percent).Which of the following statements are reasonable conclusions to draw based on the data?
Presidential elections attract more interest than constitutional amendment elections. Constitutional amendments in the 2005 election had more publicity than had amendments in the 2001 election. Amendments dealing with social issues drive greater voter participation.
The Texas Bill of Rights references a number of types of what policies
Public policy
Watch the animation then answer: What are some of the relationships between long constitutions and numerous constitutional amendments?
States with fewer amendments likely have a less restrictive constitution. Longer constitutions imply that the framers specifically spelled out lawmakers' powers, so that future lawmakers could not use ambiguity in the text to expand state power.
What were some of the causes of Texas's efforts to break away from Mexico?
Texans desired bilingual education. Anglo settlers saw themselves as part of American westward expansion rather than as Mexican citizens. Texans resented Mexico's restrictions on civil liberties
Which statement accurately portrays the tax burden in Texas?
Texans still contribute about a twelfth of their income to state taxes
Which of the following is true about the goals of Texas during its time as an independent republic?
Texans wanted to join the United States.
Drag the following provisions of the Texas Constitution of 1876, the U.S. Constitution, or both to their proper place on the Venn diagram.
Texas Constitution of 1876 -complex, specific, and long document - free and equitable public schools - victims rights Both -popular sovereignty -bicameral legislature U.S. Constitution -short document with flexible language -single executive -supreme law
Drag the following provisions of the Texas Constitution of 1876, the U.S. Constitution, or both to their proper place on the Venn diagram.
Texas Constitution of 1876complex, specific, and long documentfree and equitable public schoolsvictims' rightsBothBicameral LegislaturePopular SovereigntyU.S. Constitutionshort document with flexible languagesupreme lawsingle executive
the states whose constitutions are over 80,000 words in length and have more than 300 amendments.
Texas and Alabama
Why is voter participation in Texas constitutional amendment elections so low
The elections are held on off years from major general elections. Many amendments are insignificant to voters. There are no candidates on the ballot.
Before voters participate in a constitutional amendment election, what step must happen first?
The legislature votes to put the amendment on the ballot
How do the lieutenant governor, who leads the Texas Senate, and the Speaker of the House, who leads the Texas House of Representatives, receive their positions of leadership?
The lieutenant governor is elected statewide, and the Speaker of the House is chosen by members of the Texas House of Representatives.
Why is voter participation in Texas constitutional amendment elections so low?
There are no candidates on the ballot. Many amendments are insignificant to voters. The elections are held on off years from major general elections.
Which of the following characterized the "Radical Republicans" of the post-Civil War era?
They pushed the adoption of African American suffrage and extended the military occupation of the South. They sought to exclude former secessionists from being able to vote or hold elected office.
The push to rewrite the Texas Constitution in the 1970s emerged from which of the following events?
a stock fraud scandal
Identify which of the following characteristics are unique to the Texas Bill of Rights, and which apply to both the U.S. and Texas Bills of Rights?
Unique to the Texas Bill of Rights: Bill of Rights appears as Article I of the Constitution specifies the right to a republican government specifies provisions of public policy Applies to both the U.S. and Texas Bills of Rights: liberty of speech and press guarantees freedom of religious worship
Which of the following is the correct definition of the term unicameral?
a legislature that has only one body
Fourteenth Amendment
defines who is a citizen forces states to follow due process to remove rights guarantees equal rights for people in all states
Which constitutional provisions were included in the Constitution of 1866 to bring it into compliance with Presidential Reconstruction?
granting freedmen rights of property repudiating the state's war debt allowing freedmen to enter into contracts
U.S. Bill of Rights (1791)
guarantees freedom of religion and includes liberties of speech and press
Which of the following characteristics have been central in all of Texas's constitutions since Texas joined the United States?
individual rights division of power strong popular control federalism
Match the structural feature of Texas government with the major themes of the Constitution of 1876.
promote agrarian interests Correct label:strong controls over banks and railroads popular control of state government Correct label:election of judges and nearly all statewide officials limited power of government Correct label:biennial legislative sessions economy in government Correct label:spending cap set by projection of comptroller
What concerns did the United States government have about annexing Texas?
provoking war with Mexico upsetting the balance of slave and nonslave states
By establishing an elected chief executive, rather than one appointed by the legislature, the 1836 Constitution upheld the idea of which of the following?
separation of powers checks and balances
What important functions are performed by state constitutions?
specify the limits and uses of power by state institutions and individuals divide authority within the political institutions of the state clarify the source of a state's political power
What clause specifies that national law trumps state law when the two conflict.
supremacy clause
Which of these have served as sources of frustration for states in their relationship with the federal government?
supremacy clause necessary and proper clause Fourteenth Amendment
While the large majority of proposed amendments are approved by voters, the ones that generally fail mostly deal with which issue?
taxation and government authority
Local governments in Texas, such as cities and counties, derive their authority from which sources?
the citizens of Texas the Texas Constitution
Local governments, such as the City of Houston, derive their authority from which sources?
the citizens of Texas the Texas Constitution