Inquizitive Ch. 2 The Texas Constitution

The U.S. Constitution specifies how powers are allocated within state-level institutions.

False.

Because the framers believed that education was so important, they included Article 7 in the state constitution. Select the portion of text from Article 7 that best expresses what the framers thought was the most important element that would protect our system of government.

A general diffusion of knowledge.

Which of the following is the correct definition of the term unicameral?

A legislature that only has one body.

Which of the following is the most accurate characterization of the current Texas Constitution?

A long and complex collection of specifically written policy.

The data in the following table best support which of the following conclusions? "A sincerely held religious belief is a legitimate reason to exempt someone from laws designed to prevent discrimination."

Balancing the exercise of civil liberties against the protection of civil rights can lead to fractures in the public on how to proceed.

The civil liberties protections in the _____ have largely been incorporated to apply to states through the due process clause of the _____.

Bill of Rights. Fourteenth Amendment.

In 1824, settlers coming to Texas from the United States stopped being under the authority of the U.S. Constitution and instead were governed by the Mexican national constitution. Which aspects of the Mexican national constitution of 1824 differed from the U.S. Constitution? Which aspects were the same?

Aspects that were different: The selection of the president. The role of religion. Aspects that were similar: The separation of powers. A bicameral legislature. Protection of state powers.

What is the meaning of the term impeachment?

A charge of wrongdoing.

Match the each characteristic or provision to the constitution it belongs to: the Texas Constitution of 1845, the Texas Constitution of 1861, or the Texas Constitution of 1869.

Constitution of 1845 Detailed the original agreement for Texas's statehood. Provided for possible emancipation of enslaved people. Constitution of 1861 Made it illegal to free enslaved people. Declared allegiance to the Confederacy. Constitution of 1869 Created a much more powerful governor. Was heavily influenced by Radical Republicans.

Which of the following statements about similarities between the Texas Constitution and the U.S. Constitution are true?

Correct: 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. Incorrect: Both specifically define authority very specifically to prevent abuses of power. Both define the authority to regulate and conduct elections.

Which of the following characteristics have been central in all of Texas's constitutions since Texas joined the United States?

Correct: Federalism. Individual rights. Division of power. Strong popular control. Incorrect: Flexibility. Strong government.

Which of the following concepts in the Texas Constitution of 1836 were adapted from Spanish-Mexican law?

Correct: Government retention of mineral rights. Homestead protections. Community property. Incorrect: Criminal prosecution. Protection of slavery.

What effect did the creation of decentralized boards and other districts outside the authority of the governor have on the Texas government?

Correct: It made it more difficult to revise and reform policies affecting government power. It created a system more susceptible to special interests. Incorrect: It made the people's voice in government stronger. It further enhanced the one-party dominance of the state.

How does the plural executive, as specified in Article 4 of the Texas Constitution, influence Texas government?

Correct: It protects against concentration of power. It ensures that each member of the plural executive has an independent base of power. It diffuses the functions of the executive among multiple offices. Incorrect: It makes the governor more powerful. It ensures that policies are implemented more efficiently.

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 1991 and 2005, amendments were proposed to create the Texas lottery and ban same-sex marriages in the state, respectively—issues with significant public interest. The graph 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?

Correct: Presidential elections consistently attract more than triple the turnout of amendment elections. Amendments dealing with social issues drive greater voter participation. Incorrect: There is a consistent increase in voter turnout over time. People do not rely on the political parties to influence their voter behavior.

How do both the U.S. and Texas constitutions seek to prevent tyranny?

Correct: Separation of powers. Natural self-interests. Checks and balances.

What important functions are performed by state constitutions?

Correct: 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. Incorrect: Empower the Republican and Democratic parties within the state. Establish limits on the influence of the federal government over states.

Which of these have served as sources of frustration for states in their relationship with the federal government?

Correct: Supremacy clause. Necessary and proper clause. Fourteenth Amendment. Incorrect: Tenth Amendment.

Local governments in Texas, such as cities and counties, derive their authority from which sources?

Correct: The Texas constitution. The citizens of Texas. Incorrect: The U.S. Constitution. American citizens. The county commissioners' court. The residents of the city.

Study the following data on election turnout in Texas and determine which of the following statements are accurate. Turnout of registered voters in Texas constitutional amendment elections compared with presidential elections.

Correct: Turnout for presidential elections is far higher than turnout for constitutional amendment elections. Turnout for constitutional amendment elections is consistently low. Incorrect: Presidential and constitutional amendment elections are held at the same time. Well-advertised constitutional amendments can boost turnout to well over 30 percent.

Examine the map, and answer the question about the Texas Constitution. Texas has one of the lengthiest state constitutions. Which of the following is a reason that the state's constitution has been amended more than 500 times, even though it is nearly 100 years younger than the U.S. Constitution, which has only 27 amendments?

It places specific restrictions on the government and political process.

Which of the following is one of the most important themes of the Constitution of 1876?

Limited spending.

Relative to the U.S. Constitution, the Texas Constitution is _____ and adopts a tone of _____ governance.

Longer. Limited.

Rank the sovereignty of the different levels of government from most to least powerful.

National > state > local.

In January 2016, Governor Greg Abbott proposed a convention of states to consider a series of amendments to the U.S. Constitution, including one to "Restore the balance of power between the federal and state governments by limiting the former to the powers expressly delegated to it in the Constitution." This proposal counters the Supreme Court's interpretation of which part of the U.S. Constitution that led to an enormous net expansion of power?

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.

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.

Place the following events in the history of Texas in order from oldest to most recent.

Texas's independence from Mexico (1836) State of Texas joins the United States (1845) Civil War (1861 to 1865) Fourteenth amendment ratified (1868) Grange movement influences new Texas Constitution (1876) Texas Equal Rights Amendment added to the state constitution (1972)

Answer the question using your knowledge of the current Texas Constitution and the graphics below. Which statement best explains why certain states have the longest state constitutions?

States with narrowly written and restrictive constitutions generally have the longest state constitutions.

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.

Select the states whose constitutions are over 80,000 words in length and have more than 300 amendments.

Texas (92,025 words, 507 amendments) Alabama (402,852 words, 946 amendments)

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.

Texas Bill of Rights Appears as the first article of the Constitution. Specifies the right to a republican government. Specifies provisions of public policy. Both U.S. and Texas Bills of Rights Includes liberties of speech and press. Guarantees freedom of religion.

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. Supreme law. Single executive.

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.

Before the 2019 amendment was passed, the state constitution allowed the state to create a state income tax, but the only time state leaders ever brought it up was in regard to what issue?

The state faced recurring budget issues and the need to fund public education.

Match the clause characteristic to the amendment in which it is found.

Thirteenth Amendment Ends slavery. Fourteenth Amendment Guarantees equal rights for people in all states. Defines who is a citizen. Forces states to follow due process to remove rights. Fifteenth Amendment Bans race discrimination in voting.

The authors of the Texas Constitution were influenced by the U.S. governing documents and the writers of The Federalist Papers, such as James Madison. Select the passages of Madison's text from Federalist 51 that reflect how government is structured to protect people from government becoming too powerful.

Usurpations are guarded against by a division of the government into distinct and separate departments. Divided between two distinct governments. Subdivided among distinct and separate departments.