TX Gov Ch 2

Advocates of gay marriage argued that Section 2 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which stated that no state must accept another state's definition of marriage, violated the ______ of the Constitution.

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Which statement is true regarding the freedoms identified in state constitutions and the U.S. Constitution?

Many state constitutions provide more freedoms than the national constitution.

How did later constitutions handle the provisions of the 1845 statehood constitution?

Most of its provisions were included in later constitutions.

Which statement best describes most state constitutions?

Most state constitutions are lengthy, especially when compared with the federal constitution.

In McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court provided a broad interpretation of the ______ Clause, giving Congress the authority to pass laws that it deemed appropriate so long as they are consistent with the letter and spirit of the Constitution.

Necessary and Proper

Under Article IV of the Texas Constitution, the executive branch consists of the ______.

governor commissioner of the general land office comptroller of public accounts lieutenant governor attorney general

Over time, the basic rights guaranteed by the Equal Protection Clause and the Due Process Clause have ______.

gradually expanded

As compared to the "average" state constitution, Texas's constitution ______.

has more amendments is longer

As compared to the U.S. Constitution, most state constitutions ______.

have been amended more often

In what system of government are all functions centralized and controlled by the national government?

unitary

In 2015, the Texas legislature passed legislation allowing ______, greatly reducing local governments' ability to pass or enforce more strict regulation.

"open carry" firearms

When was the first constitution to govern Anglos in Texas ratified?

1824

In what year did the current Texas Constitution become effective?

1876

Article ___, Section ___, grants Congress the right to tax and spend to promote general welfare.

1; 8

Article V of the Texas Constitution provides for how many high courts?

2

Article III of the Texas Constitution states that the senate is composed of ______ members and the house of representatives is to be ______ members.

31; 150

In its history, Texas has had ______ constitutions.

5

Which of the following correctly identify an article of the Texas Constitution and the general topic it addresses?

Article 6: suffrage Article 17: amending the Constitution

The 1824 constitution was ______ in concept.

Federalist

Which clause of Article 4 of the U.S. Constitution requires one state to recognize a divorce concluded in another state?

Full Faith and Credit

Which of the following best describes how the national government affects how state and local governments provide services to citizens?

In providing money to state and local governments, Congress can set standards for how it is spent.

Which of the following are true of decision in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland?

It broadly interpreted the Necessary and Proper Clause. It contributed to definitions of national supremacy.

Which of the following are true of Texas's 1861 constitution?

It contained a provision to secede from the Union. It was essentially the same as the 1845 constitution. It prohibited the emancipation of slaves.

Which of the following are reasons that the level of detail in the Texas Constitution is problematic?

It contributes to the unwieldy length of the document. It contributes to the necessity for constant change to the constitution. It makes the constitution too inflexible.

How does the U.S. Constitution create a federal system?

It distributes power between the national and state governments.

Which of the following statements about political culture is accurate?

It drives institutions

As compared to the U.S. Constitution, how does the Texas Constitution address the system of checks and balances?

It is more specific.

Which statement is most accurate regarding the Texas Constitution?

It is one of the longest state constitutions in the nation.

What is characteristic of a federal system?

It provides for a balance of power and shared responsibilities between a national government and state governments.

Which of the following describes the Interstate Commerce Clause?

Its meaning and application have changed over time. The definition of what is interstate commerce is determined by the courts.

What does the phrase "separation of powers" mean?

Power is divided among the three branches of government.

Which statement is accurate regarding amending state constitutions?

State constitutions are amended much more often than the national constitution.

What part of the U.S. Constitution delegates or reserves some powers to the state governments or the people?

Tenth Amendment

Which of the following is an example of a structural amendment to the Constitution?

Tenth Amendment (10, 11, 12, 20, 22, 25, 27)

Which of the following statements about the voter initiative is accurate?

Texas does not have the initiative. An initiative requires the collection of a certain number of signatures within a set time. The initiative process allows voters to propose changes to the state constitution.

How does the Texas Bill of Rights compare to the U.S. Bill of Rights?

The Texas Bill of Rights recognizes more individual liberties.

Which best reflects the precedent set by McCulloch v. Maryland with respect to the "necessary and proper" clause?

The clause was interpreted loosely, which opened the way for an expansion of congressional powers.

Which idea is expressed by the Tenth Amendment?

The federal government is limited to those powers given to it by the people.

Why is the necessary and proper clause also referred to as the "elastic clause"?

The national government uses the clause to stretch its enumerated authority.

Why did the framers of the U.S. Constitution separate powers and provide for a system of checks and balances?

They were afraid of concentrating power in the hands of a single person.

True or false: An ideal constitution does not necessarily equal good governance.

True

Which of the following statements best summarizes voters' responses to the constitutional amendment process in Texas?

Voters approve far more proposed amendments than they reject, thanks to intense efforts by interest groups.

Which of the following best describes the success of constitutional amendments in Texas?

Voters have approved a majority of proposed amendments.

Which elements were part of the state constitution of Coahuila y Tejas in 1827?

a state religion no recognition of slavery a unicameral legislature

The 1836 constitution of the Republic of Texas provided for ______.

a unitary form of government

The necessary and proper, or elastic, clause of the Constitution ______.

allows Congress to have powers that are not listed in the Constitution but are needed to exercise the listed powers

Voters are least likely to vote on a constitutional amendment when the election is

an odd-year election.

The U.S. Constitution specifically denies certain powers to ______.

both the states and the national government

Which phrase best describes the ideal constitution, according to the textbook?

broad and flexible

What was the primary objective of the authors of Texas's 1869 constitution?

centralization

A major strength of the federal system is its ______.

flexibility

The structure of the executive branch in Texas is purposely ______ pursuant to Article IV of the Texas Constitution.

fragmented

Which of the following are general criticisms of the Texas Constitution?

constant change overly long unclear organization

Based on the current political culture of Texas, the constitution will likely ______.

continue to be amended in a piecemeal process

What are constitutions?

contracts between the government and the people

The model of federal-state relations in which the federal government began to supply money to state and local governments to provide assistance to citizens is known as ______.

cooperative federalism

Pursuant to the Fourteenth Amendment, federal courts have required states to provide protection for citizens in which three primary areas?

criminal proceedings civil liberties election laws

Which of the following are among the enumerated powers of the national government?

develop roads and postal service provide for copyrights for authors and inventors coin and regulate money

In a plural executive system, power is ______.

divided among several statewide elected officials

During most of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a system called ________ federalism operated in the Unite States, under which the national government exercised powers delegated to it by the Constitution and the state governments provided basic services to citizens.

dual

The "layer cake" comparison is used to describe ______ federalism, which began in the 1800s.

dual

Article VII of the Texas Constitution addresses ______.

education

As compared to other states, Texas's bill of rights is

equally permissive.

In order to "promote the general welfare of citizens," the federal government can provide money to state governments in exchange for states agreeing to certain standards. In the case of federal highway funding, states must agree to ______.

set the legal drinking age to 21

The current Texas Constitution

is in line with voter's desires for decentralization. supports the idea of limited government. is compatible with the political climate of the state.

According to Article V of the Texas Constitution, ______.

judges in Texas are elected

Which of the following factors make it unlikely that there will be a general revision of the current Texas constitution?

lack of political will lack of citizen support opposition from lobbying groups conservative nature of state politics

Written in 1875, the Texas Constitution particularly reflected the strong influence of ______.

landowners

Article III of the Texas Constitution refers to the ______ branch.

legislative

In all states, the ______ can propose changes to the state constitution.

legislature

Initiative-generated amendments are ______.

less likely to succeed than those proposed by state legislatures

What is the exception to the separation of powers in the Texas Constitution?

only expressly permitted instances

Which of the following are among the delegated and reserved powers of the states?

protect property rights conduct local, state, and national elections regulate banks and credit

Which of the following adaptations of Spanish law were reflected in the Texas Statehood Constitution of 1845?

protection of a person's homestead from forced sale to pay debts equal property rights for women

The constitution of 1876 ______.

restricted the powers of the legislature reflected the traditionalistic/individualistic political culture of the state reestablished many statewide and local elected offices

An amendment to the Texas constitution that addressed what issue was ruled to be unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015?

same-sex marriage

What is the only nonelected official position in Texas?

secretary of state

Under supremacy principles, ______ passed by state legislatures are superior to the ______ passed by local governments.

statutes; ordinances

In accordance with the ______ of the Constitution, state laws that conflict with federal laws are unconstitutional.

supremacy clause

In the American federal system, what structures how power is distributed within the national government as well as with and between the states?

the Constitution

Which of the following stands in the way of broad changes to the Texas Constitution?

the conservative nature of Texas politics

Critics of the Interstate Commerce clause argue that it gives too much power to ______.

the federal government

Which of the following best describes social contract theory?

the idea that individuals have inalienable rights and willingly submit to government to protect these right

Which of the following are to blame for voter ignorance of amendment elections?

the media voters themselves

What is the function of statements on civil liberties in state constitutions?

to recognize basic freedoms

The 1999 Select Committee on Constitutional Revision found that the Texas Constitution ______.

was not in need of a general revision