Government exam 1
11) Between 1900 and 1950, what was the primary factor that accelerated the demographic shift from a rural society to an urban society in Texas? A) oil B) the automobile C) WWI and WWII D) the Civil Rights movement
a
13) Today, what industry dominates the Texas economy, employing more than half of the private sector workforce? A) the service industry B) agriculture and cattle C) manufacturing and the tech industry D) oil and petrochemical processing
a
15) What BEST explains why Texas turned from a Democratic stronghold in the 1930s to a Republican stronghold in the 2000s? A) The Democratic Party become more liberal over time. B) The Democratic Party paid little attention to recruiting strong candidates for political office. C) The national Democratic Party just assumed it would always control Texas. D) Texans, on average, become more conservative over time.
a
26) The system that provides for a sharing of powers between the national government and the state governments is known as A) federalism. B) confederal. C) separation of powers. D) teamwork.
a
28) Which of the following is a state power and NOT a national power? A) provide education B) coin money C) declare war D) regulate armed forces
a
46) In addition to a preamble and appendix, how many articles are contained in the Texas Constitution? A) 27 B) 776 C) 10 D) 17
d
61) Which of the following statements about reapportionment is NOT accurate? A) It may cause a state to gain or lose congressional representatives. B) It redraws the congressional district boundaries within the state. C) It occurs every 10 years. D) It is based on the federal census.
d
65) The Texas Lt. Governor is: A) Jerry King. B) Greg Abbott. C) Ken Paxton. D) Dan Patrick.
d
79) Aside from Miriam Ferguson, Texas had had only one other female governor: A) Lurleen Wallace. B) Wendy Davis. C) Miriam Ferguson. D) Ann Richards.
d
83) If the office of governor is vacated in Texas, the order of succession is A) president pro tempore, land commissioner, attorney general. B) lieutenant governor, land commissioner, president pro tempore. C) attorney general, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house. D) lieutenant governor, president pro tempore, speaker of the house.
d
29) Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution contains this statement? "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." A) Tenth B) Eleventh C) Twelfth D) Ninth
a
35) What is one power that the Texas legislature enjoys? A) oversight power B) call special sessions C) interpreting the law D) veto power
a
37) What is one power that the Texas Legislature does enjoy? A) propose laws B) interpret the law C) power of appointment D) call special sessions
a
40) The framers of the 1876 Texas constitution adopted a plural executive system in order to A) limit the power of the governor. B) make the executive branch the dominant of the three. C) provide an additional check on the legislative branch. D) increase oversight of state agencies.
a
42) Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution contains the ________ clause establishing the U.S. Constitution as the law of the land that no federal or state law may violate. A) supremacy B) establishment C) preemptive D) primacy
a
43) The Spanish constitutions contributed what key element to the political climate of Texas? A) property rights for women B) decreased executive power C) decentralization of decision making D) limited government
a
45) Article 2 of the Texas Constitution covers the A) separation of powers. B) executive department. C) constitutional supremacy. D) legislative departments.
a
48) What does the Texas Constitution contain that the U.S. Constitution does not? A) equal rights amendment B) legislative member qualifications C) Bill of Rights D) separation of powers
a
51) A Texas Senator represents about _______ constituents? A) 811,000 B) 700,000 C) 1 million 950,000
a
62) How many Hispanic legislators served in the Texas legislature in 2015? A) 41 B) 49 C) 17 D) 37
a
70) The Texas House and Senate can override a governor's veto with a ________ vote. A) two-thirds B) four-fifths C) majority D) three-fifths
a
76) Which of the following is NOT among the formal qualifications for the office of governor in Texas? A) registered voter B) 30 years of age C) U.S. citizenship D) resident of the state for five years
a
88) Which former governor was President George H. W. Bush's chief of staff? A) John Sununu B) Greg Abbott C) Miriam Ferguson D) Drake
a
89) Texas is an example of a plural executive system because A) power is divided among several elected officials. B) the governor also presides over the State House of Representatives. C) the governor appoints the lieutenant governor. D) there are two governors.
a
95) Which executive-level officer promotes agricultural products and production? A) commissioner of agriculture B) comptroller of public accounts C) commissioner of the General Land Office D) attorney general
a
100) In the process known as ________, the governor must clear his or her appointments with the state senator from the appointee's home district. A) "good politics" B) senatorial courtesy C) the "southern custom" D) political reciprocity
b
21) Minority groups in Texas A) are primarily concentrated in rural areas. B) outnumber non-Hispanic whites. C) are shrinking due to an influx of whites in other states. D) have no influence on politics and policy decisions.
b
24) Texas is considered a _______ state. A) individualistic B) traditionalistic C) moralistic D) mercantilistic
b
25) Given Texas' political culture, which of the following best reflects a governmental policy the majority would be supportive of? A) expanding regulations of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to protect the underground water table B) expanded tax credits for enticing businesses to move to Texas C) creating a state income tax to ensure public schools are sufficiently funded D) expansion of Medicaid to ensure people at 200 percent of the poverty level are afforded health coverage
b
31) Federal-state relations between the Great Depression and the 1960s are best described as A) a confederacy. B) cooperative federalism. C) dual federalism. D) creative federalism.
b
34) Which of the following is NOT a power of the Texas legislature? A) propose laws B) appoint judges C) oversight of state agencies D) propose constitutional amendments
b
36) One check the judicial branch has on the legislative branch is A) overriding of vetoes. B) judicial review of statutes. C) approval of federal judges. D) power to pardon.
b
38) What is one power that the governor of Texas enjoys? A) power to interpret the law B) line-item veto C) judges' impeachment power D) power to tax
b
4) Texas was admitted into the Union in: A) 1830 B) 1845 C) 1860 D) 1898
b
41) Which of the following is NOT a reason that Texas constitutions have limited government's authority to act? A) objections to the system imposed by the Reconstruction Constitution B) deep-rooted southern beliefs in centralized government C) longstanding distrust that started while under Mexican rule D) the traditionalistic/individualistic culture of the state
b
55) What percentage of the Texas Senate is usually elected during a presidential election year? A) 100 percent B) 50 percent C) 25 percent D) 33 percent
b
58) Which of the following states has the lowest proportion of women in its legislature? A) Texas B) Kansas C) North Dakota D) North Carolina
b
66) Which chamber has a higher percentage of races in which the incumbent faces no general election candidate? A) senate B) house C) Both are roughly equivalent. D) This cannot be determined from the data.
b
68) What is the first formal act of the Texas House at the beginning of a legislative session? A) calling in the governor to give a speech B) electing a speaker of the house C) ratifying the results of the most recent election D) designating a sergeant at arms
b
7) Why did the U.S. commit 50,000 troops to Texas at the end of the Civil War in 1865? A) to enforce the provisions of Reconstruction B) to discourage French meddling C) to prevent Texas from seceeding D) to secure the border after Mexican encroachment
b
8) One of the primary political goals for Reconstruction was A) to undermine the economy in the southern states. B) to restore law and order to a society recovering from war. C) to allow Northern states to be readmitted to the Union. D) to reintroduce slavery, in a limited way, in several southern states.
b
85) Which of the following states does NOT have a process for impeachment? A) California B) Oregon C) Georgia D) Texas
b
9) Which of the following elements dominated the land-based economy of post-Reconstruction Texas and is/are still important today? A) oil and cattle only B) oil, cotton, and cattle C) cotton and oil only D) cattle only
b
92) Which executive-level officer collects taxes and invests state funds? A) commissioner of agriculture B) comptroller of public accounts C) attorney general D) commissioner of the General Land Office
b
10) What was the primary use of land in Texas from the 1820s to the 1860s? A) cattle production B) oil C) cotton farming D) Land use in the period was about equally divided among these three.
c
14) Which region of the state is known primarily for its production of citrus fruits and vegetables? A) central corridor B) Gulf Coast region C) border area of South Texas and Rio Grande Valley D) plains region
c
47) One major difference between the U.S. and Texas constitutions is that A) the Texas constitution does not provide for three branched of government. B) the Texas constitution places more detailed qualifications for holding in office both houses of the legislature. C) the Texas constitution does not specifically detail the amendment procedure. D) the Texas constitution begins with the Bill of Rights.
d
49) What is a reason that state constitutions are amended more frequently than the U.S. Constitution? A) The legislature can approve state constitutional amendments. B) Voter initiatives have a higher rate of approval than those amendments proposed by state legislatures. C) The U.S. Constitution has built-in limits. D) State constitutions deal with a wider range of functions.
d
5) Texas' first petition for statehood was denied because A) the vast majority of Anglo settlers did not consider themselves American. B) the Spanish and Mexican settlers who remained in Texas threatened revolt. C) the U.S. felt that Mexico still had a valid claim to the land. D) there was not a free state to balance the admittance of Texas as a slave state.
d
53) Texas Senators are elected for ___ year terms and Texas House members are elected for ______ year terms A) 4, 3 B) 6, 2 C) 5, 4 D) 4, 2
d
56) In which region of the country can legislatures with the lowest proportion of women be found? A) the Northeast B) the Southeast C) the Midwest D) the Northwest
d
57) Approximately 1/3 of Texas legislators are: A) schoolteachers B) 28-year olds C) women D) lawyers
d
6) Who won the battle that led to the independence of Texas from Mexico? A) Steve Austin B) General Santa Anna C) James Fannin D) Sam Houston
d
63) The practice of redrawing electoral boundaries for political advantage is known as A) redistricting. B) reapportionment. C) reallocation. D) gerrymandering.
d
71) Which type of legislative committee is most important? A) conference B) interim C) special D) standing
d
73) The main source of revenue for the State of Texas is: A) our personal income tax. B) franchise taxes C) tobacco taxes D) sales taxes
d
75) A state legislature that uses part-time, lower-paid legislators operating under biennial sessions and low staff resources could be said to A) be a delegate legislature. B) be a trustee legislature. C) need greater citizen legislature participation. D) be of low legislative professionalism.
d
77) Which of the following informal qualifications for governor is nearly universal in Texas? A) military service B) holding a law degree C) fraternal membership D) having previously held elected office
d
80) Which state pays its governor the highest salary? A) Nevada B) Maine C) Texas D) Pennsylvania
d
82) In states without a lieutenant governor, who is usually next in succession to the governor's office? A) the leader of the state house of representatives B) the chief justice of the state supreme court C) the vice governor or speaker of the house D) the leader of the state senate or secretary of state
d
84) In Texas, the lieutenant governor: A) is appointed by the governor and succeeds the governor should the office be vacated. B) is elected jointly with the governor and therefore succeeds the governor should the office be vacated. C) is appointed by the governor and thus cannot succeed the governor should the office be vacated. D) is elected separately from the governor but succeeds the governor should the office be vacated.
d
87) Prior to the election of George W. Bush to the presidency, when was the last time a Texas governor had gone on to higher elected office? A) 1962 B) 1992 C) 1977 1941
d
90) Most of the work of the attorney general involves ________ rather than ________. ______ A) judicial review; prosecution B) criminal law; civil law C) ceremonial functions; executive functions D) civil law; criminal law
d
91) Which executive-level office serves as legal counsel to the governor, the legislature, and state agencies? A) commissioner of the General Land Office B) comptroller of public accounts C) commissioner of agriculture D) attorney general
d
94) Which executive-level officer administers state-owned land and protects the environmental quality of coastal lands? A) commissioner of agriculture B) attorney general C) comptroller of public accounts D) commissioner of the General Land Office
d
96) Unlike most other statewide governing offices, what governing body has varied greatly in form and structure over the years? A) Office of the Attorney General B) General Land Office C) Texas Department of Agriculture D) State Board of Education
d
97) How many states, including Texas, do not limit how long a person can serve as governor? A) 16 B) 10 C) 12 D) 14
d
18) Based on the results of recent state and national electoral in Texas, one can conclude that A) Texas will become a Democratic state once again, though Republicans will mount strong challenges as the minority party. B) Texas will soon become a hotly contested two-party state once again. C) Texas will continue to be a strong Republican state, but the prospect of Democratic comeback is not out of the question. D) Texas will become a more liberal state in the future.
c
22) As of 2016, Hispanics made up about ___ percent of the state's population. A) 52 B) 14 C) 39 D) 27
c
23) About 3 in 4 Texans identify themselves as _______________. A) unaffiliated individuals B) Catholic C) Christians D) Mormon
c
3) Of the six flags flown over Texas, which represented republics? A) the Confederacy and France B) France and Mexico C) Texas and Mexico D) Spain and France
c
30) After World War I, the Supreme Court required states to adhere to basic protections in the Bill of Rights through the use of clauses in the Amendment. A) Tenth B) Eighteenth C) Fourteenth D) Eleventh
c
39) Under the Texas constitution, the power to set the budget resides with _______ A) the governor. B) the judiciary. C) the legislature. D) the bureaucracy.
c
44) Which constitution was known as the "carpetbagger's constitution"? A) U.S. Constitution B) Republic of Texas constitution C) Reconstruction constitution D) Republic of Mexico's constitution
c
50) What was the result of a bill introduced in 1999 calling for a general revision of the Texas Constitution? A) It was defeated in a floor vote. B) It was inadvertently placed on the wrong calendar and was ignored. C) It died in committee. D) It was not approved by the citizens.
c
52) The Texas Senate has ____ members and the Texas House has _____ members. A) 30, 423 B) 150, 25 C) 31, 150 D) 50, 435
c
54) A Texas House member represents about _______ constituents? A) 100,000 B) 250,000 C) 167,000 D) 134,000
c
59) All members of the Texas Legislature make _____ plus $190 per day while in session. A) $28,200 B) $55,000 C) $7,200 D) $125,000
c
60) How does a Texas legislator's salary compare to those of other populous states? A) Texas legislators are paid about the same as legislators in other populous states. B) Texas legislators are paid much more than legislators in other populous states. C) Texas legislators are paid more than legislators in any other state. D) Texas legislators are paid much less than legislators in other populous states.
c
64) When drawing legislative districts, A) race can be used to justify violating "one person, one vote." B) race can be used so long as it does not create majority-minority districts. C) race can be used as long as it is not the predominate factor. D) race can never be used.
c
67) The current Attorney General of Texas is: A) Jerry King. B) Greg Abbott. C) Ken Paxton. D) Dan Patrick.
c
69) The lieutenant governor is not formally a senator and cannot vote except in cases of a tie, yet he or she has great power over the senate. Why? A) a popular sovereignty mandate B) senatorial tradition C) powers similar to those of the speaker of the house D) the bully pulpit and the ear of the governor
c
72) Assume both the Texas House and Senate have passed omnibus transportation bills. The bills are almost identical, with slight differences. How will these differences be reconciled prior to the bill being sent to the governor for consideration? A) by the governor's staff, who will reconcile any differences B) by a special committee that is chaired by the speaker and vice-chaired by the lieutenant governor C) in conference committee D) in the standing committees that have jurisdiction
c
74) The main function of the Sunset Advisory Commission is to A) set the legislative calendar. B) redraw legislative districts. C) oversee state agencies. D) recommend a budget to the state legislature.
c
78) The first woman governor elected was Nellie T. Ross from ____? A) Texas B) Alabama C) Wyoming D) California
c
81) The governor of Texas's salary is ________ per year. A) $90,000 B) $70,000 C) $150,000 D) $179,000
c
86) Why is it very difficult to hold a specific person in Texas government responsible for anything? A) The state constitution shields all government employees from responsibility for public actions and policies. B) The media in Texas do a very poor job at investigating wrongdoing in government. C) Government is fragmented and policy responsibility is divided. D) Most officials usually cite the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution and refuse to say anything that could incriminate them.
c
93) What office was created under the 1836 constitution to administer state-owned land? A) Texas Bureau of Land Management B) Texas Department of Agriculture C) General Land Office D) Texas Land Board
c
98) The Texas governor gains strength from his or her ability to A) exert powerful control over the budget. B) appoint the other executive officers. C) be continually reelected. D) remove individuals appointed by the previous governor.
c
99) Who was the first Texas governor to be elected to three consecutive four-year terms? A) George W. Bush B) Bill Clements C) Rick Perry D) Dolph Briscoe
c
1) The second nation to lay claim to the territory of Texas was A) Portugal. B) England. C) Spain. D) France.
d
12) Texas ranks _____ among the 50 state in total patents granted in 2015. A) 1st B) 2nd C) 3rd D) 4th
d
16) In terms of population size, Texas ranks ________ in the nation in comparison to other states. A) fourth B) third C) first D) second
d
17) Political Action Committees or PACs engage in activities such as A) appointing candidates to public office. B) developing pieces of legislation. C) covering candidates for media outlets. D) raising and utilizing money for campaign activities.
d
19) In terms of total land size, Texas ranks ________ in the nation in comparison to other states. A) third B) first C) fourth D) second
d
2) The fourth national flag to fly over Texas was the flag of: A) Spain B) the Confederacy. C) France D) the Republic of Texas
d
20) As a result of the 2010 Census, Texas was awarded ___ more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. A) no B) 2 C) 3 D) 4
d
27) Which of the following is an exclusive power of the national government? A) conduct elections B) provide education C) regulate banks D) regulate interstate commerce
d
32) Nineteenth-century federalism A) saw the federal government dictate even the smallest aspects of state and local government. B) saw the federal government mostly dominant over states. C) continued unchanged through the twentieth century. D) saw states mostly dominant over the federal government.
d
33) Voters must approve amendments to the Texas constitution. This is an example of the principle of A) citizen legislatures. B) separation of powers. C) social contract theory. D) popular sovereignty.d
d
