Texas Politics – Flashcards
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What is the main reason why early petitions by the Republic of Texas to join the United States were rejected?
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There was controversy over Texas becoming a slave state.
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Name the two major ideological groups in Texas during the era of Reconstruction.
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Confederate sympathizers and Republicans
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Approximately how long did one-party Democratic rule last in Texas?
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100 years
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Between 1900 and 1950, what was the primary factor that accelerated the demographic shift from a rural society to an urban society in Texas?
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oil
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How did the Democratic Party deal with the challenge presented by progressive groups around the beginning of the twentieth century?
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by coopting key progressive ideas
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Polls show that a Texan is MOST likely to identify as a
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conservative.
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A belief that government is a positive instrument for change and a means for promoting the general welfare of all citizens defines which political subculture?
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moralistic
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Which political subculture was a natural extension of the practice of slavery?
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traditionalistic
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Classical liberalism focuses on the protection of
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a generally free market economy.
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The theory of popular sovereignty holds that all power
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rests with the people.
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Which of the following is NOT a power of the Texas legislature?
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appoint judges
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Under the Texas constitution, the power to tax resides with
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the legislature
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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.
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supremacy
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What does the Texas Constitution contain that the U.S. Constitution does not?
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equal rights amendment
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Article 1 of the Texas Constitution covers the
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Bill of Rights
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Discussion of the legislative department is in Article __ of the Texas Constitution.
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3
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Why does the Texas Constitution create a fragmented executive branch?
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to limit the power of the governor
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Discussion of the executive department is in Article __ of the Texas Constitution.
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4
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Discussion of the judicial department is in Article __ of the Texas Constitution.
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5
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Why might the partisan election of judges be cause for concern?
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judicial decisions may be politicized
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The system that provides for a sharing of powers between the national government and the state governments is known as
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federalism.
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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."
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Tenth
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How long is the Texas legislative session?
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140 days
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Fundamentally, the Supreme Court decisions in Baker v. Carr and Reynolds v. Sims were based on the principle of
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one person, one vote
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The drawing of legislative districts to favor one political party over another is termed
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political gerrymandering.
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Who submits a recommended budget to the Texas legislature?
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the Legislative Budget Board
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The fact that Texas has a limited government with restricted powers and low per capita government spending demonstrates the strength of the ___________ political subculture in the state.
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individualistic
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Which of the following statements regarding the population of Texas is false?
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During the 20th century, the state shifted from an urban to a rural society.
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Which most accurately describes the relationship between state constitutions and the U.S. Constitution?
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The U.S. constitution prevails over state constitutions.
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The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
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reserves to the states those powers not delegated to the federal government.
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According to the U.S. Constitution's national supremacy clause,
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federal laws enacted under the U.S. Constitution take precedence over state laws.
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The principal historic event shaping the 1866 Texas Constitution was
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reinstatement into the Union after the Civil War.
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The Texas Grange was important in shaping Texas government because it
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advocated "retrenchment and reform"—a weak and cheap government.
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What BEST explains why Texas turned from a Democratic stronghold in the 1930s to a Republican stronghold in the 2000s?
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The Democratic Party became more liberal over time.
