question

"A public institution with authority to formulate, adopt, implement, and enforce public policies for a society" defines

answer

Government

question

The process of policymaking that involves conflict and cooperation between political parties and other groups that seek to elect government officials or to influence those officials when they make public policy, is refereed to as

answer

politics

question

The Temperance movement's to use government to end the sale and consumption of alcohol in Texas demonstrated the existence of a _________ political subculture in the state.

answer

Moralistic

question

The "values, attitudes, traditions, habits, and general behavioral patterns that develop over time and shape the politics of a particular region," are collectively referred to as

answer

political culture

question

When the Texas legislature increases taxes to meet the goal of improving streets and highways, it is implementing

answer

public policy

question

According to Professor Daniel Elazar, the political culture of Texas is dominated by the

answer

individualistic and traditionalistic subcultures

question

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.

answer

individualistic

question

The adoption of "right to work" law in Texas demonstrates that the state government maintains a climate friendly to

answer

business owners

question

Laws that segregated African Americans and denied them access to public services were known as

answer

Jim Crow laws

question

The approximate land area of Texas, in square miles, is

answer

267,000

question

The large geographical size of Texas

answer

means that campaigning for statewide political office requires a substantial investment of resources

question

Of the 50 states, Texas ranks ______ in land area.

answer

second

question

Which of the following have become effective campaign tools because they allow users to engage in social networking and create online communities?

answer

Social Media

question

Agriculture in the West Texas Plains depends heavily on

answer

the Ogallala Aquifer

question

For many cities in the ______ region of Texas, Spanish is the primary language, Catholicism is the dominant religion, and international trade is an increasingly important part of the economy.

answer

border

question

Central Texas includes the cities of

answer

Waco, Austin, and San Antonio

question

Complete the following sentence: The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex

answer

has seen decades of strong economic growth as major corporations move their headquarters there.

question

Which is true of East Texas?

answer

It is racially segregated and heavily influenced by Protestant fundamentalism

question

The Gulf Coast region is home to ______, the largest and most diverse city in Texas.

answer

Houston

question

According to the 2013 estimates made by the US Bureau of the Census, the population of Texas is approximately

answer

26 million

question

Among 50 states, Texas currently ranks ________ in population.

answer

second

question

Which or the following statements regarding the population of Texas is false?

answer

During the 20th century, the state shifted from an urban to a rural society

question

Between 2000 and 2013, Texas's population grew by approximately

answer

27%

question

Of the fifteen fastest growing cities in the United States in 2014, how many were in Texas?

answer

seven

question

The development of which industry transformed Texas from a predominantly agricultural culture into an industrial society?

answer

Oil

question

The history of Texas suburbs is marked by racial segregation because

answer

all of the above are reasons that racial segregation marked the development of Texas suburbs

question

Approximately what percentage of Texans now live in Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs)?

answer

More than 80 percent

question

The elderly population in Texas

answer

none of the above are true of the elderly population in Texas

question

Approximately what proportion of Texans speak a language other than English at home?

answer

one-third (1/3)

question

The Native American population in Texas declined in the entries following European colonization because

answer

all of the above contributed to the decline of the Native American population

question

The Asian American population of Texas is

answer

primarily immigrant, having come from Southeast Asia

question

By 2014, the Hispanic population of Texas

answer

comprised about 39 percent of the state

question

Based on current trends, some demographers project that by 2040 Texans Latinos will make up approximately ________ of the state's population.

answer

38%

question

The African American population of Texas

answer

resides primarily on farms and in rural villages

question

Texans has the ______ largest number of African Americans in the nation after New York and California.

answer

third

question

Which of the following land-based industries formed the basis of the early economic development of Texas?

answer

Cotton, cattle, timber, and oil

question

Four of the five largest private corporations in Texas in 2014 were

answer

energy related

question

The process of mixing chemicals with sand and water and injecting them into the ground to force out oil and gas from the shale below, is referred to as

answer

fracking

question

Which of the following is true of high-technology jobs?

answer

More than one-third of high technology jobs are in technical, managerial, and professional positions

question

Which of the following is a multibillion-dollar industry that produces products, such as medicines and vaccines, to benefit medical science?

answer

Biotechnology

question

Which is true statement regarding agriculture in Texas?

answer

It is characterized by a decreasing number of farms with large acreages

question

The service industry in Texas

answer

pays lower wages and salaries than manufacturing firms

question

More than _______ percent of US exports to Mexico are produced in Texas.

answer

60%

question

The North American Free Trade Agreement (1993)

answer

reduced trade barriers between the United States, Canada, and Mexico

question

Which of the following is false regarding maquiladoras?

answer

They enable US goods to be made with cheaper labor in Mexico and exported to the United States without being taxed

question

NAFTA has been criticized because of

answer

all of the above are common criticism of NAFTA

question

Since 2011, land-based industries in Texas have experienced record financial losses as a result of

answer

a drought

question

Persons who enter the United States in violation of federal immigration laws are referred to as

answer

undocumented immigrants

question

The Texas DREAM Act

answer

allows certain undocumented immigrants who were brought to Texas as children to pay in-state tuition at public colleges

question

In 1986 President Ronald Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act, which

answer

all of the above are provisions of the Immigration and Naturalization Service

question

As a result of current immigration policies

answer

many families are separated as undocumented immigrants are arrested, detained, or deported

question

Which of the following was created in 1957 for purpose of state mandated water planning?

answer

Texas Water Development Board

question

Texas faces water challenges due to which of the following factors?

answer

All of the above are true

question

Texas ranks ________ among the states in the amount of hazardous waste generated, carbon dioxide emissions, and toxic chemicals released into the air and into the groundwater.

answer

first

question

When Texas sued to block the Environmental Protection Agency's regulations on coal-fired power plants in 2011, the result was a Supreme Court Decision in 2014 affirming that

answer

the EPA does have the authority to regulate carbon pollution and fight global climate change.

question

Which of the following is a true statement?

answer

Texas ranks among the bottom 10 states in high school graduation rate and average SAT scores

question

By 2014, approximately what proportion of Texas children were living in poverty?

answer

One in four (1/4)

question

Which best describes the state of health insurance in Texas?

answer

Texas has the highest proportion of uninsured residents of any of the 50 states

question

What proportion of the state population in Texas lives below the poverty line?

answer

One fifth (1/5)

question

Undocumented immigrants in Texas have an impact on the state economy by

answer

paying state taxes when they buy goods and services and rent property.

question

The two sources for the powers of the Texas government to govern are the

answer

Texas Constitution and Texas' membership in the federal Union

question

A system of government in which power is divided between a national government and associated regional governments is a(n)

answer

federal system

question

Which of the following is a false statement about the Texas Constitution?

answer

It limits actions of the national government

question

Which most accurately describes the relationship between state constitutions and the US Constitution?

answer

The US constitution prevails over state constitutions.

question

The Tenth Amendment to the US Constitution

answer

reserves to the states those powers not delegated to the federal government

question

In its capacity as the state's fundamental law, the Texas Constitution

answer

creates governmental institutions, assigns them powers, and places limitations on them

question

The national supremacy clause is found in which article of the US Constitution?

answer

Article VI

question

According to the US Constitution's national supremacy clause,

answer

federal laws enacted under the US Constitution take precedence over state laws.

question

The powers of the national government that are specifically stated in the US Constitution are referred to as

answer

delegated powers

question

The "necessary and proper" clause, found in Article I, Section 8 of the US Constitution, is an example of which of the following?

answer

Implied power

question

The regulation of interstate and foreign commerce among the several states by the US Congress is an example of a(n)

answer

delegated power

question

Texas may divide into as many as five states under the terms of

answer

the congressional resolution admitting Texas into the Union

question

Which of the following is not protected by the US Constitution?

answer

Equal votes for each state in the Electoral College

question

In Texas v. White (1869), the US Supreme Court found that

answer

the US Constitution does not provide for states to leave the Union

question

The US Constitution prohibits Texas from all of the following, except

answer

denying the right to vote based on residency

question

The Supreme Court's process of applying positions of the Bill of Rights to states through the Fourteenth Amendment's due process clause is referred to as

answer

incorporation

question

As a result of Thelma White's 1955 lawsuit against the state of Texas, the Court ruled that

answer

the state laws requiring segregation in higher education were invalid

question

Which situation would be covered by the "full faith and credit" clause of the US Constitution?

answer

Texas recognizes a Louisiana marriage license

question

What part of the US Constitution provides that the citizen of one state is entitled to the same privileges and immunities of a citizen of another state?

answer

Article IV

question

The 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prohibited national government recognition of same-sex marriage and allowed states to deny same-sex marriages performed in other states, is challenged by critics as a violation of

answer

the full faith and credit clause

question

With regard to federalism, the US Constitution

answer

leaves the reserved powers of the states undefined

question

Which of the following would not be considered a reserved power?

answer

Adoption of international treaties

question

The power of government to appropriate private property for the public projects is referred to as

answer

eminent domain

question

When Colorado and Washington legalized marijuana for recreational purposes, they were

answer

ignoring a limited area of national law

question

The federal government extended its power to regulate aspects of the economy such as railroads, worker safety, minimum wages, and maximum hours principally through

answer

broad interpretation of the interstate commerce clause

question

After considering Texas's challenge to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Supreme Court ruled that

answer

the US government may penalize those without insurance, but may not withdraw Medicaid funding from states that refuse to expand the program.

question

The trend in federal-state relations since the 1980s can best be described as the

answer

federal government transferring more responsibility to the states but reducing funding

question

In which of the following ways can the federal government influence state policymaking?

answer

Offer federal grants-in-aid

question

The decline in national control over state governments is referred to as

answer

devolution

question

Texas ______ funds from the federal government for unemployment, Medicaid, and public school funding.

answer

refused

question

Governor Rick Perry, in opposing federal stimulus funds from the Obama Administration hinted at

answer

having Texas secede form the Union

question

Between 1876 and 2014, how many amendments to the Texas Constitution have been adopted?

answer

484

question

The Texas Constitution has needed hundreds of amendments due to

answer

its specificity and detail

question

Three years after Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821, the area that is now Texas (then known as Tejas y Coahuila)

answer

became part of a federal republic for the first time and adopted its first state constitution

question

According to the text, Texas has had _______ constitutions

answer

seven

question

All of the following were factors that led Texans to declare independence from Mexico, except

answer

annexation to the United States

question

The constitution of 1836 was

answer

the governing instrument for the Republic of Texas

question

Which individual was elected the first president of the Republic of Texas under the Texas Constitution of 1836?

answer

Sam Houston

question

Annexation of Texas into the United States was authorized by Congress in

answer

1845

question

The principal historic event leading to creation of the Texas Constitution of 1861 was

answer

Texas joining the southern Confederacy

question

The principal historic event shaping the 1866 Texas Constitution was

answer

reinstatement into the Union after the Civil War

question

The 1866 Texas Constitution extended to African Americans the right to

answer

sue

question

To meet the demands of Reconstruction, the Texas Constitution of 1869

answer

all of the above

question

White Texans reacted negatively against Governor Edmund (E. J.) Davis because of

answer

the freedom of black slaves and government efforts to protect them

question

The Texas Constitution of 1869 provided for all of the following except

answer

six-year term for all executive offices

question

Which of the following does not describe the Texans elected to a state constitutional convention in the summer of 1875?

answer

Residents interested in strengthening the power of state government

question

As part of their effort to dismantle the Reconstruction efforts of Governor E. J. Davis, the authors of the 1876 Texas Constitution

answer

reinstated racial segregation in public education

question

The Texas Grange was important in shaping Texas government because it

answer

advocated "retrenchment and reform" - a weak and cheap government

question

The 1876 Texas Constitution, which is still Texas's fundamental law today, is best described as

answer

lengthy and confusing

question

Because of the prevailing political philosophy among delegates in 1875, the Texas government may exercise

answer

only those powers specifies in the Texas Constitution

question

Most constitutional amendments adopted in Texas

answer

were necessary because of the detailed nature of the state's constitution

question

The governor's tole in the constitutional amendment process

answer

is limited to the use of personal influence to sway the outcome

question

In 2011, an amendment to the Texas Constitution authorized a program to

answer

provide low-interest loans to college students regardless of financial need

question

Amendments to the Texas Constitution are proposed by the

answer

Texas legislature

question

Which of the following is not part of the formal amendment process for state constitutional amendments?

answer

Signature of the governor

question

Proposed amendments to the state constitution are ratified by

answer

Texas voters

question

Voter turnout for constitutional amendment elections

answer

is typically low

question

In 1972, a majority of Texas voters exercised their right to demand a change in government by approving

answer

a proposed amendment to authorize the appointment of a constitutional revision commission

question

In 1974, the draft constitution prepared by the constitutional prepared by the constitutional revision commission

answer

fell three voters short of passage at the constitutional convention

question

Which of the following was not a reason for the failure of the 1974 Constitutional Convention?

answer

Lack of sufficient funds

question

The constitution submitted by the legislature in April 1975 to the voters was recognized as being

answer

concise, orderly, and well-drafted

question

The special election of 2975 on the proposed Texas Constitution resulted in

answer

defeat of all eight submissions with a lower turn-out

question

The Texas Bill of Rights

answer

contains a provision guaranteeing equal rights to women-something not found in the federal Constitution

question

The Texas Supreme Court has interpreted Article VII, Section 1 of the state constitution to require

answer

adequate and equitable funding for public education

question

Something protected by the Texas Bill of Rights that is not protected by the US Bill of Rights is

answer

rights of crime victims

question

Separation of powers

answer

places the lawmaking, law-enforcing, and law-adjudicating powers in separate branches of government

question

The "Legislative Department" of Texas government is provided for in

answer

Article III of the state constitution

question

There are a variety of forms of local government in Texas, including

answer

special districts, countries, and cities

question

Approximately how many municipalities are there in Texas?

answer

1,200

question

Which of the following views of local government power dictates that local government should only have powers expressly granted by the state?

answer

Dillon's Rule

question

Approximately ______ percent of Texans reside in cities?

answer

80%

question

A typical percentage of voter turnout for a Texas local election is

answer

10% or less

question

The minimum population requirement in Texas for becoming a city is

answer

201

question

In Texas, a community with a population of less than 5,000 may become a(n)

answer

general-law city

question

In Texas, if a community with over 5,000 people wanted to be incorporated as a city, it may be incorporated as a

answer

home-rule city

question

A city charter does all of the following, except

answer

establish state law

question

The process for removing an elected official during his/her term through a popular vote, is referred to as

answer

recall

question

The main advantage that a home-rule city has over a general-law city is that a home-rule city

answer

has greater flexibility in its organization and operation

question

While a municipal government may not pass a law that binds all Texans, it can pass a(n) _______, which has force of law within the city.

answer

ordinance

question

In Texas, most general-law cities are

answer

very small in population

question

An ordinance may be established by all but

answer

the state legislature

question

In Texas, all of the following are unique to home-rule cities, except

answer

popular elections

question

A proposed law arising from a citizen petition is called a(n)

answer

initiative

question

If city voters want to repeal an existing city ordinance, they may do so through a(n_

answer

referendum

question

In Houston, a strong mayor-council city, _________ appoints the chief of police and possesses veto power over ordinary majorities in the city council.

answer

the mayor

question

In Texas, cities operation with the strong mayor-council form of government have which of the following characteristics?

answer

All of the above are true

question

Which is the most common form of municipal structure in Texas?

answer

The council-manager form

question

None of the 10 largest cities in Texas have a

answer

weak mayor-council form of government

question

In the ____________ form of municipal government, the mayor shares appointive and removal power with a city council.

answer

weak mayor-council

question

Which form of municipal government is more likely to be responsive to the elite and the middle class than to the working class and ethnic minorities?

answer

Council-manager

question

Which of the following is not a characteristic of a council-manager form of government?

answer

A mayor with power to veto council actions

question

In theory, the council-manager form of government has

answer

a weak mayor

question

Which of the following is true of political parties in Texas municipal elections?

answer

Candidates run without party labels in these nonpartisan elections

question

Historically, at-large elections in Texas cities have resulted in

answer

less diversity of representation

question

Cities must redistrict every ______ years.

answer

10

question

To improve diversity among elected officials, some Texas local governments use a(n) _________ system in which voters may cast a number of votes equal to the number of positions available.

answer

cumulative voting

question

A major job of municipal government in Texas home-rule cities is to provide services like

answer

police, trash collection, and water

question

The two largest sources of tax revenue for Texas municipalities are

answer

sales tax and property tax

question

Most Texas cities struggle to provide basic services because

answer

all of the above contribute to the financial dilemma faced by Texas cities

question

Since Texas voters tend to be resistant to property tax increases, municipal governments are often forced to

answer

all of the above are actions take by municipal governments to deal with inadequate property tax revenue

question

Under the Texas Constitution, countries

answer

are administrative arms of the state

question

Functions performed by countries in Texas include

answer

conducting elections, registration of voters, and enforcing criminal law

question

The number countries in Texas is

answer

254

question

To cut costs and introduce residents to e-technology, Bear country created a

answer

bookless digital library card and check in and out virtual books

question

Which Supreme Court case applied the "one-person, one vote" principle to country precincts?

answer

Avery v. Midland County (1968)

question

As a results of the Court's 1968 ruling Avery v. Midland County, Texas countries must

answer

ensure there is an equal population in each precinct.

question

Adopting the country's budget and setting the property tax rate is the duty of the county

answer

commissioners court

question

In most rural Texas countries, each county commissioner is individually responsible for

answer

building and maintaining county roads and bridges in his or her precinct

question

Which elected county official has both administrative responsibility for most country agencies and judicial responsibilities?

answer

County Judge

question

In the 50 countries with no county attorney, the function is performed by

answer

a resident district attorney

question

Which county official represents the state in civil and criminal cases and provides legal advice to county officials?

answer

County attorney

question

Collecting vehicle taxes and fees and registering voters is the responsibility of the

answer

county tax assessor-collector

question

Who has responsibility for enforcing the law and keeping the peace in each county?

answer

County sheriff

question

Which county official is responsible for record keeping and conducting elections?

answer

County clerk

question

In most countries, who receives and pays out county funds?

answer

County tax assessor-collector

question

Of the following county officials, who his appointed by the district judge?

answer

County auditor

question

Which is a common source of funding for counties?

answer

All of the above are sources of funding for counties

question

As many as 400,000 Texans live in about 2,300 colonias, which are

answer

impoverished housing settlements often without running water or sewage systems

question

A unit of local government performing a single function (such as providing schools or hospitals) for a designated geographic area is a

answer

special-distict government

question

Public education in the state of Texas is provided directly by

answer

local school districts

question

Which of the following would not be an example of a special district?

answer

Congressional district

question

The segment of Texas higher education that receives support from property taxes is the

answer

junior and community colleges

question

Approximately how many noneducational special districts does Texas have?

answer

2,300

question

Which of the following is a reason that Texas has so many special districts?

answer

All of the the above are reasons why Texas has so many special districts

question

About what percentage of Texans live in metropolitan areas?

answer

88

question

The term metro government refers to

answer

consolidating several existing local governments under one umbrella authority

question

In Texas, voluntary associations of local governments that perform regional planning activities, among other things, are called

answer

councils of governments

question

The incorporated area outside a city's boundaries into which it may annex is referred to as

answer

extraterritorial jurisdiction

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