Civics
Textbook Exam Questions
Course Introduction
Civics is the study of the rights and responsibilities of citizens and the workings of government and society. This course explores foundational concepts such as democracy, citizenship, political processes, and the structure and functions of government at various levels. Students learn about the Constitution, the branches of government, civil liberties, electoral systems, and methods of civic engagement. Through analysis of current events, historical documents, and active participation, the course emphasizes the importance of informed and responsible citizenship in maintaining a healthy democracy.
Recommended Textbook
Governing Texas 1st Edition by Anthony Champagne
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13 Chapters
842 Verified Questions
842 Flashcards
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Page 2
Chapter 1: The Political Culture, People, and Economy of Texas
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55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) People of Hispanic origin make up over 30 percent of the population of Texas today.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) Which racial or ethnic group in Texas is concentrated in East Texas?
A) Hispanics
B) German Americans
C) African Americans
D) Asian Americans
E) Caucasian Americans
Answer: C
Q3) Texas political culture is best described as moralistic political.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q4) The largest city in Texas is San Antonio.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Page 3
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Chapter 2: Texas and the Nation
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70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Under the New Deal, federalism is frequently described as
A) New Federalism.
B) coercive federalism.
C) cooperative federalism.
D) dual federalism.
E) layer-cake federalism.
Answer: C
Q2) One proposal to address illegal immigration in Texas is a guest-worker program in which temporary immigrant workers would be permitted to work in Texas provided that they do all of the following EXCEPT
A) pass a background check.
B) be employed and pay payroll taxes.
C) be proficient in English.
D) be registered to vote in state and national elections.
E) waive all rights to public assistance programs.
Answer: D
Q3) Unfunded mandates infringe upon state sovereignty.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Chapter 3: The Texas Constitution
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56 Verified Questions
56 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is the process by which the Texas Constitution is amended? How many amendments have been added since 1876? What types of amendments have been added?
Answer: The process by which the Texas Constitution is amended involves several steps. First, a proposed amendment must be approved by a two-thirds majority in both the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate. Once approved by the legislature, the amendment is then put to a popular vote in a statewide election. If a majority of voters approve the amendment, it is added to the Texas Constitution.
Since 1876, there have been 498 amendments added to the Texas Constitution. These amendments have covered a wide range of topics, including changes to the structure and powers of state government, taxation and finance, education, and civil rights. There have also been amendments related to specific localities or issues, such as the creation or modification of municipal or county government structures.
Overall, the types of amendments added to the Texas Constitution have been diverse, reflecting the changing needs and priorities of the state over the past 145 years.
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Chapter 4: Political Parties in Texas
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70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Most third-party candidates in Texas are unsuccessful in their electoral bids.
A)True
B)False
Q2) In the 2010 general election, every official elected at the state level was Republican.
A)True
B)False
Q3) All of the following are principles generally supported by the Tea Party movement EXCEPT
A) low taxes.
B) term limits.
C) increased immigration.
D) balanced budgets.
E) low government spending.
Q4) Compared to other southern states, Texas has a large African American population.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Discuss urban, rural, and suburban influences on partisanship. Explain which party tends to dominate in each of these areas, and why.
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Chapter 5: Elections in Texas
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70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following was NOT regularly used in Texas as a method of disenfranchising many minorities before the 1960s?
A) the white primary
B) early registration
C) poll taxes
D) the Jaybird primary
E) the requirement of a federal citizenship test
Q2) ______ is the traditional start of the general election campaign in Texas.
A) Independence Day
B) Memorial Day
C) Labor Day
D) Halloween
E) Thanksgiving
Q3) In which of the following elections is voter turnout the highest?
A) presidential elections
B) gubernatorial general elections
C) off-year congressional elections
D) runoff elections
E) primary elections
Q4) List and describe the different types of elections in Texas.
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Chapter 6: Interest Groups and Lobbying
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52 Verified Questions
52 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Not all interests are equally represented in Texas politics. Describe which interest groups have the most political clout and why. What are some interests that are not well represented in Texas, and why is this the case? What have been some practical effects of these differences in lobbying power?
Q2) Which of the following is not a common way for interest groups to gain access to politicians and policy makers?
A) hiring former politicians as lobbyists
B) spending money on entertaining politicians
C) building support on an issue with constituents
D) forming PACs that allow members to bundle large contributions to candidates
E) running for office themselves
Q3) PACs help interest groups bundle campaign donations.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Describe some of the different types of interest groups operating in Texas. Which ones have been the most influential? What are some interests that have been underrepresented in Texas?
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8
Chapter 7: The Texas Legislature
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53 Verified Questions
53 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The typical Texas legislator is most likely to be a
A) white woman with a professional degree.
B) white, affluent businessman.
C) working-class Hispanic woman.
D) middle-class African American lawyer.
E) white, working-class male.
Q2) The governor of Texas has the authority to exercise a line-item veto.
A)True
B)False
Q3) In 2004 and 2005, three special sessions were called in the Texas legislature to deal with
A) tax codes.
B) deregulation of the pharmaceutical industry.
C) school finance.
D) criminal law reform.
E) budget crises.
Q4) The secretary of state in Texas is responsible for redrawing legislative districts every ten years.
A)True
B)False
Page 9
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Chapter 8: The Texas Executive Branch
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55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The governor of Texas has
A) strong formal powers granted by the Texas constitution.
B) few formal powers, so the office is one of the weakest chief executives in the United States.
C) the power to appoint all of the other officials in the executive branch.
D) the power to appoint all state judges.
E) an average amount of power compared to governors of other states.
Q2) Which state office was eliminated in 1996?
A) attorney general
B) animal commissioner
C) state treasurer
D) sheriff
E) roads and highways commissioner
Q3) Which of the following about the lieutenant governor in Texas is incorrect?
A) The lieutenant governor is chair of the Legislative Budget Board.
B) The lieutenant governor presides over the senate.
C) The lieutenant governor is elected in a statewide election.
D) The lieutenant governor's powers are primarily executive, not legislative.
E) The lieutenant governor is first in line for succession of the governor.
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Page 10
Chapter 9: The Texas Judiciary
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77 Verified Questions
77 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) A recent Texas poll found that _____ percent of judges felt that campaign contributions had at least some influence on judicial decisions.
A) 68
B) 83
C) 86
D) 92
E) 99
Q2) Why is it difficult for voters to learn about judicial candidates in Texas?
A) Judicial candidates, by law, are prevented from actively campaigning for office.
B) Most judicial candidates fill their campaign literature with arcane legal analysis.
C) Voters are called upon to vote for too many different judicial races in a single election.
D) Most voters never go to court, so they have little knowledge upon which to base their decisions.
E) Judicial candidates do very little campaigning.
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11
Chapter 10: Crime and Corrections Policy
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69 Verified Questions
69 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What percentage of Texas prison inmates has been convicted of drug offenses?
A) 6 percent
B) 15 percent
C) 18 percent
D) 28 percent
E) 55 percent
Q2) What is one of the biggest issues in regard to perpetuating criminal activities in Texas?
A) The requirements placed on offenders are not difficult enough and can result in a lack of respect for the system.
B) The requirements placed on offenders allow for excessive interaction with fellow criminals, continuing the cycle of negative contacts.
C) The requirements placed on offenders are so difficult to comply with that offenders will likely disregard the requirements and hope to not get caught.
D) The structure of the criminal system allows for too many appeals and therefore encourages offenders to violate requirements.
E) Criminals are more likely to associate with other criminals, therefore perpetuating the cycle.
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Page 12
Chapter 11: Public Finance in Texas
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74 Verified Questions
74 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which is the single largest source of tax revenue for the state of Texas?
A) income
B) sales
C) property
D) gasoline
E) various taxes on the energy industry
Q2) Overall, the tax system in Texas is generally considered to be regressive, which means that
A) the tax burden consumes a greater percentage of income received by lower-income individuals.
B) the tax burden consumes a greater percentage of the income earned by higher-income individuals.
C) everybody pays the same percent of the their income in taxes.
D) the more income you have, the larger the percentage of it that goes to pay taxes.
E) higher-income individuals pay progressively more taxes based on their incomes.
Q3) Discuss the major source(s) of state revenue in Texas and the major categories of state spending.
Q4) Explain the impact of the Great Recession on the budget of Texas.
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13
Chapter 12: Public Policy in Texas
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82 Verified Questions
82 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Texas, because of its widespread support for public education, has a long-standing history of spending more per pupil than most states do.
A)True
B)False
Q2) During the 1980s, a growing number of critics alleged that welfare programs
A) had nearly eliminated poverty.
B) were helping to create a dysfunctional underclass of people who depended upon it for survival.
C) were being abused, mostly by the wealthy.
D) benefited only the middle class at the expense of the poorer class.
E) should be turned back over to private charities and religious institutions because government resources had been exhausted.
Q3) The ______ transformed the way in which the United States handled poverty and implemented welfare policy.
A) 1865 post-Civil War National Poverty Reconstruction Act
B) 1965 Great Society Reconstruction Act
C) 1935 Social Security Act
D) 1945 National Recovery Program Act
E) 1996 Welfare Reform
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Page 14
Chapter 13: Local Government in Texas
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59 Verified Questions
59 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) In Texas, what is the name of the officer who presides over the county commissioners court?
A) county judge
B) executive commissioner
C) justice of the peace
D) sheriff
E) constable
Q2) Which of the following statements about the commissioner form of government is false?
A) Commissioners are generally elected on an at-large basis.
B) The commissioner form of government does not have separately elected mayors.
C) The commissioner form of government was designed to bring good business practices into local government.
D) The commissioner form of government is currently popular among the largest cities in Texas.
E) In the commissioner form of government, the commission acts in both a legislative and executive capacity.
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Page 15