GOVT-2306 Chapter 1,2,3 Exam 1 Review

Select the best explanation for the change in production and average closing price between 2018 and 2020.

Companies continued producing oil but the pandemic radically decreased demand for petroleum products.

Which of the following was the biggest driver of Texas's population growth between 2010 and 2020?

the natural difference between life and death

In the early twentieth century, less than 50 years after the end of the Civil War, influential groups in the state sought to rewrite history by promoting the _____________ narrative, which suggested that the South's primary cause was not to protect ___________ but to protect states' rights from an overreaching federal government.

"Lost Cause"; enslavement

Choose all of the options that support the argument that the U.S. should have a powerful national government in relationship to the states.

- supremacy clause - necessary and proper clause

How many amendments does the current Texas Constitution have?

More than 500

What is the meaning of the term impeachment?

a charge of wrongdoing

Which of the following is a significant challenge to business influence in Texas?

a powerful social conservative wing

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.

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

a legislature that has only one body

The push to rewrite the Texas Constitution in the 1970s emerged from which of the following events?

a stock fraud scandal (Sharpstown scandal)

Texas Democrats believe the path to being more competitive in statewide politics in Texas is largely tied to which of the following trends?

an expanding young Latino population

Political culture is a term used to describe

broadly shared values and beliefs about government.

Read the excerpt and then answer the question that follows. "When a faction is a majority, popular government enables it to sacrifice public good and the rights of other citizens to their passions and interests.To secure the public good and private rights against the danger of such a faction and, at the same time, preserve the spirit and form of popular government, is the objective of our discussion."- James Madison, Federalist 10, Federalist Papers in Modern English What solution did the framers of the US Constitution find to this problem that was ultimately copied and included in the structures of the Texas Constitution?

checks and balances

Which of the issues below have been identified as priorities that the influential cultural and social conservatives in the Republican Party would like to see enacted?

limits to abortion; traditional marriage; immigration restrictions

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

longer; limited

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 ___________ provides Congress with the power to accomplish its constitutional tasks, while the ____________ specifies that national law trumps state law when the two conflict.

necessary and proper clause; supremacy

Some governors have called for a convention of states to try to revise and amend the U.S. Constitution, and many Texans have called for reforms to the Texas Constitution to make it more manageable and up-to-date. However, there is good cause for concern about calling for a constitutional convention to make reforms to these documents. What is the most important concern about calling a potential constitutional convention?

no constraints on participants

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

Where does the political authority held by local governments, such as cities and counties, come from?

the state government

Which of the following economic activities are located primarily in the Gulf Coastal Plains region?

timber; fruit and vegetable farming; industrial manufacturing

Texas is most often characterized by which two political cultures?

traditionalistic individualistic

Which amendments in the U.S. Constitution specify the relationship between the federal government and state governments?

Correct Answers: -Fourteenth Amendment -Tenth Amendment Incorrect Answers: -First Amendment -Seventh Amendment

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 most accurate characterization of the current Texas Constitution?

A long and complex collection of specifically written policy.

What were some of the reasons for Texas's efforts to break away from Mexico?

Anglo settlers saw themselves as part of American westward expansion rather than as Mexican citizens. Texans desired bilingual education. Texans resented Mexico's restrictions on civil liberties.

Examine the following timeline on when Confederate monuments were erected in Texas. Which of the following best supports the assertion that these monuments were aimed at celebrating the authority of White Texans after the Civil War ended?

Approximately half of the monuments were erected between 1900 and 1940.

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: - protection of state powers - a bicameral legislature - the separation of powers

NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston and the world's largest inland desalination plant at Fort Bliss in El Paso are great examples of which of the following?

Cities gain significant financial and technological advancements from government programs.

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

Constitution of 1845 - detailed the original agreement for Texas's statehood. - guaranteed Texas kept public lands and profits from them. Constitution of 1869 - created a powerful governor propped up by military. - was heavily influenced by Radical Republicans. Constitution of 1861 - made it illegal to free enslaved people. - declared allegiance to the Confederacy.

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

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

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

Which guarantees are made by the Texas Constitution but not by the U.S. Constitution?

Correct Answer(s) free and efficient public schools victims' rights Incorrect Answer(s) limited government freedom of religion

For most of Texas history, the ________________ held control of state government. Today, rural White conservatives constitute the overwhelming majority of support for the ________________ in Texas.

Democratic Party; Republican Party

Voter participation in statewide constitutional amendment elections is most likely to see big increases under what circumstances?

Divisive social issues are on the ballot.

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

False

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

Federalism. Individual rights. Division of power. Strong popular control.

The overwhelming majority of Black Texans live in which geographic region of Texas?

Gulf Coastal Plains

In the impeachment process, the ___________________ investigates and may bring charges of wrongdoing against an official while the ___________ serves as a jury to determine if the official should be removed from office.

House of Representatives; Senate

The city of _______ is the largest in the state, with a population of over 2 million people, while the _________________ metro area is the largest metropolitan area in the state, with over 7.6 million residents.

Houston; Dallas-Fort Worth

Put the following urban areas in order in terms of projected population in 2050, from largest to smallest.

Houston; Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington; Austin; San Antonio; El Paso

Which of the following is a benefit of the privatization of public property in Texas?

It allowed Texas to retain ownership of the minerals under some of this land, which has provided funding for elementary and secondary education as well as higher education.

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.

Which of the following statements about the cotton economy in Texas are accurate?

It established a working underclass in Texas society. It helped bolster the Populist movement against railroads.

Which factors help explain why the Austin metro area has a higher average income than other major metro areas in Texas?

It has a highly educated workforce. It has a thriving high-tech industry. It contains the state capital.

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.

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?

It prevented the use of tax dollars for racially integrated schools.

Which of the following is a reason why the Texas Constitution is so long and needs continuous updating?

It was originally written very specifically, in order to limit government power.

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

National > state > local

The persistent poverty created by the sharecropper and tenant farmer systems had what political impact on Texas?

Poor farmers supported populist movements that led to stronger popular control of government and industry.

Which of the following characterizes the system of federalism?

Power is dividied between the central and regional governments.

What is the most consequential way in which Presidential Reconstruction differed from Congressional Reconstruction?

Presidential Reconstruction disenfranchised only a small number of former secessionists.

Study the image, and answer the question below. 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?

Presidential elections consistently attract more than triple the turnout of amendment elections.

Which term describes a narrow view of the world that is associated with rural values and is often intolerant of diversity?

Provincialism

Why is voter participation in Texas constitutional amendment elections so low?

Reason Turnout Is Low: Many amendments are insignificant to voters. The elections are held on off years from major general elections. There are no candidates on the ballot. Not a Reason Turnout Is Low: Few voters can pass the poll test. Voters must separately register to vote in constitutional amendment elections.

Match each industry with the urban area it is most associated with. San Antonio Fort Worth Houston Austin

San Antonio - military installations Fort Worth - cattle Houston - energy Austin - high tech

Texas is often described as sharing features of both individualistic and traditionalistic political cultures for which of the following reasons?

Social services connected to government are minimized. Limited regulation on individuals and businesses to encourage self-interested hard work. Elites, such as business leaders, have a dominant voice in how the state is run.

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 Alabama

Which of the following universities are the only ones that can receive funds from oil and gas revenues that go into the Permanent University Fund?

Texas A&M University University of Texas

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 - specifies the right to a republican government - specifies provisions of public policy - appears as the first article of the Constitution both U.S. and Texas Bills of Rights - guarantees freedom of religion - includes liberties of speech and press

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

Study the following information about other large states in the United States to determine which of the following statements are accurate.

Texas and California have similar proportions of Latino residents. Florida and New York have a higher proportion of Black residents than Texas.

In what ways did Texas benefit from the United States' membership in the landmark NAFTA trade deal?

Texas goods have had more access to foreign markets. Trade stimulated growth along Texas's border. NAFTA helped speed up a diversified economy.

When Texas entered the Union in 1845, what did Texas do with its public lands?

Texas retained control of its public lands.

What future trends can be inferred from the information in the chart?

Texas will become more firmly positioned as a majority minority state. If current trends continue, Latinos will likely soon become the largest single demographic segment of the state population.

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

Texas's independence from Mexico State of Texas joins the United States Civil War Fourteenth amendment ratified Grange movement influences new Texas Constitution

The ___________________________ has the highest proportion of Latino Texans and contains some of the few rural areas of Texas that are more supportive of the Democratic party.

The Basin and Range Province

Texas is poorer and less educated overall than the national averages for income and education. Which factor, of several that may exist, is the most important cause of why the state lags behind?

The Texas population is younger on average than the rest of the United States.

As one of only a handful of states without a form of an income tax, what is the only way that Texas could institute an income tax statewide?

The legislature and voters would have to amend the constitution.

Before voters participate in a constitutional amendment election, what step must happen first?

The legislature votes to put the amendment on the ballot.

Which of the following statements about political culture accurately describe Texas?

The political culture of Texas is being influenced by changing demographics. Values in urban areas are strongly influenced by the diverse populations living there.

What are the political impacts of the trend shown in the chart?

The population shift means politics in the state are increasingly dominated by the growing and diverse urban and suburban areas of the state. The state's economy has become less focused on traditional industries such as farming, ranching, and oil.

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.

If a public official is impeached by the Texas House of Representatives and two-thirds of the Senate votes to convict the official, what is the next step?

They are removed from office.

Innovations like the steel plow and barbed wire affected the Texas economy in what ways?

They increased cotton production. They virtually ended open-range grazing and cattle drives.

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.

Match the clause characteristic with the United States Constitution amendment in which it is found.

Thirteenth Amendment: - ends slavery Fourteenth Amendment: - defines who is a citizen. - forces states to follow due process to remove rights. - guarantees equal rights for people in all states.

Study the following data on election turnout in Texas and determine which of the following statements are accurate.

Turnout for constitutional amendment elections is consistently low. Turnout for presidential elections is far higher than turnout for constitutional amendment elections.

In what way is the process for amending the Texas Constitution different from the process for amending the U.S. Constitution?

Voters must ratify proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.

Though Black Americans were emancipated in 1865, they were disenfranchised by the ____________ and forced to pay ____ taxes in order to vote. It was only after the Voting Rights Act of ____ that the political system opened up for Black Americans.

White primary; poll; 1965

Provincialism in Texas has historically contributed which of the following features to the state's political culture?

a narrow worldview and an intolerance of diversity a rejection of modern urban lifestyles a belief that the public interest is not served by spending on social services and education.

Which of the following industries helped contribute to Houston's growth over time?

cotton trade oil

Read the excerpt from the "Declaration of Causes" issued by the Secession Convention of Texas in February of 1861 and then answer the question that follows. "We hold as undeniable truths that the governments of the various States, and of the [union] itself, were established exclusively by the white race, for themselves and their posterity; that the African race had no agency in their establishment; that they were rightfully held and regarded as an inferior and dependent race, and in that condition only could their existence in this country be rendered beneficial or tolerable.That in this free government all white men are and of right ought to be entitled to equal civil and political rights; that the servitude of the African race, as existing in these States, is mutually beneficial to both bond and free, and is abundantly authorized and justified by the experience of mankind, and the revealed will of the Almighty Creator, as recognized by all Christian nations; while the destruction of the existing relations between the two races, as advocated by our sectional enemies, would bring inevitable calamities upon both and desolation upon the fifteen slave-holding States.By the secession of six

enslavement

The United States Constitution mandates that every state must have a republican form of government, which Texas abides by. What is the best way to understand the meaning of the word "republican" in the way it is used here?

government made up of people elected to make decisions on behalf of the public.

The development of _________ industries in the 1990s created an economic driver that diversified the revenue streams of the state away from reliance on the _________ industry.

high-tech; petroleum

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

limited spending

Which of the following has been used to deal with the controversy surrounding memorials and monuments to the Confederacy and its leaders placed on public grounds?

providing more historically accurate and inclusive context by moving them or adding new monuments.

What are the reasons that Latino populations make up higher concentrations in urban areas and the Rio Grande Valley?

relative geography to international border availability of jobs

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

separation of powers natural self-interests checks and balances

In recent years, business groups, a key part of the Republican base in Texas, have been challenged by which group that makes up another important part of the Republican coalition?

social conservatives

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

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

Which physical regions of Texas are most likely to remain consistently controlled by Republicans?

the Great Plains the Interior Lowlands

Texas's political life grew out of which region?

the Gulf Coastal Plains

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

the Texas Constitution the citizens of Texas

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