EXAM 1 Flashcards
Indian tribe referred to as “the Romans of Texas” because of their social structure and practices
Caddos
Controversial political issue in the late nineteenth century, drew uncommonly high number of voters to the polls to narrowly reject a proposed amendment to the Texas Constitution
Prohibition
Which political culture asserts that citizens should be subjected to a minimum of government intervention?
individualistic
which political culture reflects an expectation that government take a limited role in the life of its citizen, particularly for the preservation of the existing social order?
traditionalistic
Which states are expected to be among the three states that will account for almost half of the nation’s growth between 1995 and 2025?
Florida, California, and Texas
One of the primary reasons Texas wanted independence from Mexico was
the unity among Anglos in the desire to rid Texas of Mexican Rule
During the first two decades of the Republic and early statehood, the most important figure in shaping modern Texas politics was
Sam Houston
Texas saw its first post-Reconstruction Republican governor in the
1970s
Texas women earned the right to serve on a criminal jury trial in Texas in
1954
_________ is the political culture type found very sparingly in Texas.
Moralism
According to the authors, the story of Texas is a primarily Anglo story and ignores other minorities in the state remains the dominant legend in Texas history books today.
True
Texas cannot be defined as having a single, dominant political culture.
True
Texas is now a majority-minority state, where Anglos make up less than half the state’s population.
True
Recent poll data reveal that more than one in three Texans favor secession from the United States.
False
The Texas political system lacks a strong network of political organizations that, in turn, gives an electoral advantage to individual politicians who stand out from the ordinary
True
During Texas’ “Era of Reform,” significant change was seen in the oil and railroad industries.
True
Texas’ secession from the United States in 1861 was approved overwhelmingly by Texas voters.
True
Governor Edmund J. Davis was one of the most influential “Redeemers” following the end of Reconstruction in Texas.
False
The Spanish, the Chinese, and the French are all noted by the authors as contributors to the “birth of Texas traditions.”
False
The authors take note of the relationship between Texas’s geographic size and the sense that Texas is a place of limitless potential.
True
Which of the following is not an example of constitutional “concurrent powers” found in the U.S. Constitution? -establishing highways -collecting taxes -Taking private property for public purposes with just compensation -conducting foreign affairs
conducting foreign affairs
All of the following are examples of powers reserved for the states by the U.S. Constitution except - regulating interstate commerce -conducting foreign affairs -conducting elections and determining voter qualifications -ratifying amendments to the U.S. Constitution
Conducting foreign affairs
Which term describes the national government’s passing of legislation that imposes requirements on state and local governments, which bear the cost of meeting those requirements?
Unfunded Mandates
In the 1970s, President Nixon favored using _________, national funds given to state and local governments for a broader purpose, imposing more discretion by states regarding how the money could be spent.
Block Grants
Since the time of the Republic of Texas, Texas has produced _____ constitutions.
6
The government of Texas is an example unitary government in terms of its relationship with lower units of government, cities, and counties
true
Which Texas Constitution established centralized power with few elective offices and large amount of power in the hands of the governor?
Second Reconstruction Constitution of 1869
The fundamental goal of the framers of the 1876 constitution was to weaken and _______ the state’s government and institution
Decentralize
What is the most prominent feature of the current Texas Constitution?
A sense of distrust in government
Which of the following is not one of the differences between the Texas Constitution and the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780? -Massachusetts constitution is an original, while the Texas Constitution is TX’s 6th since the Constitution of the Republic of Texas -The Massachusetts Constitution has been amended fewer times - The Massachusetts is longer than the Texas Constitution -The Massachusetts Constitution allows for a statewide referendum to make general law, While the Texas consitution does not
The Massachusetts is longer than the Texas Constitution
The Texas Constitution is criticized for
containing too many specific policy restrictions.
How is popular sovereignty included in the Texas Constitution? -The constitution begins by stating that it is written by the people. -The constitution includes an elected legislature, many elected executive offices, and an elected judiciary. -Voters must approve constitutional amendments. -All of the above are correct.
All of the above are correct
________ federalism is the distribution of power between the national government and the state governments.
Vertical
According to the U.S. Constitution, state law supersedes federal law.
False
States generally prefer money from the federal government in the form of block grants rather than categorical grants because block grants provide more flexibility in how the money may be used.
True
Under Mexican rule, the Mexican government established Catholicism as the state’s religion and required Texans to join the Catholic Church
True
When Texas was annexed by the United States, Texas retained the right to secede from the Union.
False
The Texas Constitution of 1876 reflects a deep distrust of government.
True
The framers of the 1876 Texas Constitution were primarily concerned with protecting agrarian interests
True
The overwhelming majority of proposed Texas amendments are approved by Texas voters with equally overwhelming voter turnout.
False
The 1st person to actually settle Anglo America in Texas was
Stephen F. Austin
One result of Reconstruction in Texas was to make Texas a
one- party state dominated by Democrats for the next 100 years
During the 1980s, more and more _____ began to be elected in Texas
Republicans
The political culture that seems to be the most widespread in Texas
individualistic
What are the pieces of the Texas Mosiac
historical, geographic, economic, and demographic pieces
First Spaniard to Texas
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
Who landed on the Texas coast in 1864 and claimed the area for the king of France.
Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle.
The instument Spain used to establish a permanent presence in Texas
the mission, truly prospered in south Texas
According to official U.S. Census Bureau data, Texas ranks ______ in population
Second
(1865-1877) during which former Confederate states had restrictive laws applied to them by the federal government; it (and E. J. Davis) led to Texas becoming a one-party Democratic state
Reconstruction After Civil War
the only religion recognized as legal by the Mexican Constitution and required for land ownership
Catholic
The independent nation created by Texans that lasted from 1846; its status as an independent country has contributed to (and continues to influence) an independent spirit in its politics
Republic of Texas
A period of time (1890-1910) during which Texas enacted numerous laws designed to protect ordinary citizens and to prevent their being taken advantage of by large monopolies such as the railroads
Progressive Era
The Republican governor of Texas during the era of Reconstruction
E. J. Davis
The derisive name given to the legislation included in E. J. Davis’ agenda
Obnoxious Acts
The current Texas Constitution, written after Reconstruction
1876 Constitution
became the 28th state of the U.S. in 1845
The Republic of Texas
___________ obligations imposed by the states in dealing with one another.
Horizontal Federalism
Very long, many amendments. Limited Government was big factor. 16 articles (originally 17) / 474 amendments Stress limits on state power.
The Constitution today
The current Texas Constitution was partially a reaction to _______
Reconstruction
an entrepreneur who made money colonizing areas of the Mexican Territory
Empresario
the idea that individuals are best left largely free of the intervention of community forces such as gov. and that gov. should attempt only those things demanded by the people it was created for ___________
Individualistic Political Culture
Rare in Texas, the view that the exercise of community pressure is sometimes necessary to advance the public good; it also holds that gov. can be a positive force and citizens have duty to participate
Moralistic Political Culture
the shared values and belief of citizens about the nature of the political worlds that give the public a common language as a foundation to discuss and debate ideas
Political Culture
the practice in the south of voting for Republicans in presidential elections but voting for conservative democrats in other races. This practice that continued until animosity over reconstruction faded and republicans demonstrated electability
Presidential Republicanism
the idea, most prevalent in the parts of Texas most like the Old South, that gov. has a limited role concerned with the presentation of the existing social order
Traditionalistic Political Culture
signed on Feb. 2, 1848, this agreement between the US and Mexico ended the Mexican-American War and recognized the Rio Grande as the boundary between Texas equal, now part of the US, and Mexico
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
national funds given to state and local governments for a broad purpose; comes with fewer restrictions on how the money is to be spent.
Block Grant
national money given to states and local governments that must be spent for specific activities
Categorical Grant
powers such as taxing and spending and the ability to establish courts and charter banks that are shared by the national and state governments.
Concurrent powers
a type of government where the lower units of government retain decision-making authority.
Confederal system
