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Governing Texas Ch 2
terms
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Identify the main functions of state constitutions | Many of the ideas found in the U.S. Constitution are also found in Texas's constitutions, including republican government, separation of powers, checks and balances, and individual rights. |
| Constitution | the legal structure of a government, which establishes its power and authority as well as the limits on that power` |
| separation of powers | the division of governmental power among several institutions that must cooperate in decision making |
| Checks and balances | the constitutional idea that overlapping power is given to different branches of government to limit the concentration of power in any one branch |
| tyranny | according to James Madison, the concentration of power in any one branch of government |
| federalism | a system of government in which power is divided, by a constitution, between a central government and regional governments |
| supremacy clause | Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, which states that the Constitution and laws passed by the national government and all treaties are the supreme law of the land and superior to all laws adopted by any state or any subdivision |
| necessary and proper clause | Article I, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution; it provides Congress with the authority to make all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out its powers |
| Which idea is contained in both U.S. and Texas constitutions? | separation of powers |
| Which of the following is not an important function of a state constitution? | allows government to intrude in the lives of businesses and individuals |
| Which part of the U.S. Constitution reserves power to the states? | Tenth Amendment |
| Under the U.S Constitution, the government of Texas is most limited by | the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. |
| Which of the following is an important function of a state constitution? | prevents the concentration of political power delegates power to individuals and institutions legitimizes political institutions limits application of the U.S. Constitution |
| Describe the six Texas constitutions that preceded the current constitution | Texas has had seven constitutions reflecting the concerns of the historical periods in which they were written. The Civil War and Reconstruction played a major role in shaping Texans' attitudes toward the dangers of strong state government. |
| unicameral | comprising one body or house, as in a one-house legislature, page 45 |
| bicameral | having a legislative assembly composed of two chambers or houses |
| confederacy | the Confederate States of America, those southern states that seceded from the United States in late 1860 and 1861 and argued that the power of the states was more important than the power of the central government |
| radical republicans | a bloc of Republicans in the U.S. Congress who pushed through the adoption of black suffrage as well as an extended period of military occupation of the South following the Civil Wa |
| The constitution of 1861 | generally accepted the existing constitutional framework. guided Texas's entry into the Confederate States of America. supported slavery. defended states' rights. |
| A unique feature of the Constitution of 1869 was that | it was never submitted to the voters |
| Explain the circumstances that led to the Texas Constitution that is still in use today | The Constitution of 1876 sought to limit the powers that had been wielded under the previous constitution by Republican governor Edmund Davis. It remains, though much amended, the existing state constitution of Texas. |
| grange | militant farmers' movement of the late nineteenth century that fought for improved conditions for farmers |
| A new Texas constitution was written | when Reconstruction ended |
| The present Texas Constitution | severely limits the power of the governor and other state officials |
| The Constitution of 1876 was a reaction to the Reconstruction Constitution of 1869 because | the 1869 Constitution was seen as giving the governor too much power. |
| When the framers of the Constitution of 1876 wrote of "the people," they meant | all adult white male citizens of Texas. |
| Analyze the major provisions of the Texas Constitution today | Today's Texas Constitution is lengthy and includes over 400 amendments. It limits the power of state government and tries to prevent the concentration of power in the hands of one person. |
| limited government | a principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution |
| republican government | a representative democracy, a system of government in which power is derived from the people |
| plural executive | an executive branch in which power is fragmented because the election of statewide officeholders is independent of the election of the governor |
| impeachment | under the Texas Constitution, the formal charge by the House of Representatives that leads to trial in the Senate and possible removal of a state official |
| Article 1 of the Texas Constitution | contains the Texas Bill of Rights. |
| The Texas Bill of Rights | guarantees some rights not found in the U.S. Bill of Rights. |
| The Texas Constitution requires that Texas judges | be elected by the people. |
| Describe modern efforts to change the Texas Constitution | Recent attempts to rewrite the Texas constitution have been unsuccessful. Amendments continue to be the easiest way to modify the document. |
| A new constitution for Texas | has a very small chance of being written and ratified. |
| Voter turnout for constitutional amendment elections could be improved if | they were held at the same time as presidential elections. there were more voter awareness of the proposed amendments. the amendments involved significant issues for voters. |
| How does Texas Amendment Election voter turnout compare to US presidential elections? | Turnout in Texas Amendment Elections is lower than presidential elections. |
| The Texas Constitution is the second longest of all state constitutions in the United States. Why is it so long? | The Framers gave the state very specific power so it could not be extended by ambiguity. Thus, amendments are frequently needed to advance policy goals. |
Created by:
nicholasbarron