Comparative State Governments
Mock Exam
Course Introduction
This course provides an in-depth analysis of the structures, functions, and processes of state governments within and across different countries. Students will explore key themes such as federalism, political institutions, policy-making, and intergovernmental relations, with a particular emphasis on comparison among various state systems. By examining both the theoretical frameworks and real-world case studies, the course helps students understand how different states address governance challenges, manage resources, and interact with other levels of government. The goal is to develop a nuanced appreciation for the diversity and complexities in state government models around the world.
Recommended Textbook
Governing Texas 1st Edition by Anthony Champagne
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13 Chapters
842 Verified Questions
842 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/463
Page 2
Chapter 1: The Political Culture, People, and Economy of Texas
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55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8298
Sample Questions
Q1) Who led the Grange and Populist movements of the late nineteenth century?
A) tenant farmers
B) cattle barons
C) Hispanic laborers
D) the railroad industry
E) oil prospectors
Answer: A
Q2) What was Stephen F. Austin's role in the development of Texas?
A) He established the first free-range cattle ranch.
B) He worked with the Spanish government to bring American settlers into Texas.
C) He was an important early oil entrepreneur.
D) He designed the city that bears his name.
E) He was one of Texas's most successful cattle barons.
Answer: B
Q3) The high-tech economy of Texas emerged during the 1920s.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
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Chapter 2: Texas and the Nation
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70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8299
Sample Questions
Q1) During the Wilson administration, Texans held key leadership positions in Congress and had great political influence because
A) Texas was such a populous state.
B) they were wealthy and powerful oil men.
C) the seniority system rewarded members who spent many terms in office.
D) Texas voted overwhelmingly for Republican candidates.
E) Wilson was afraid that Texas might break up into five separate states.
Answer: C
Q2) The question of slavery was an important subject of congressional debate prior to Texas's annexation.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) Today, our federal system is best described as
A) layer-cake federalism.
B) marble-cake federalism.
C) dual federalism.
D) New Federalism.
E) coercive federalism.
Answer: B
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 4
Chapter 3: The Texas Constitution
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56 Verified Questions
56 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8300
Sample Questions
Q1) The system of distributing powers between states and a central government is called
A) federalism.
B) separation of powers.
C) constitutionalism.
D) filtration.
E) checks and balances.
Answer: A
Q2) Who were the Radical Republicans?
A) those Republicans who proposed to write a new U.S. constitution in the late 1990s
B) those Republicans after the Civil War who controlled Reconstruction policy in the former Confederate states
C) the first Republicans since Reconstruction in Texas to win elected office during the 1960s
D) followers of the pro-Union governor Sam Houston
E) those Republicans who opposed admitting Texas into the Union
Answer: B
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Political Parties in Texas
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70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8301
Sample Questions
Q1) A system that allocates representation to legislatures that ensures a voice for minority parties is called a
A) republic.
B) single-member district system.
C) majoritarian system.
D) proportional representation system.
E) Populist system.
Q2) Providing a label that helps voters identify those seeking office is an important function of
A) the state.
B) political parties.
C) interest groups.
D) the media.
E) the governor.
Q3) In South Texas, Democrats control many cities, towns, and school boards due to the large Latino population.
A)True
B)False
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6
Chapter 5: Elections in Texas
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70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8302
Sample Questions
Q1) List and discuss the reasons why campaigns in Texas are so expensive.
Q2) The most costly item for most political campaigns is
A) travel.
B) security.
C) fund-raising.
D) media advertising.
E) food.
Q3) According to political scientist Daniel Elazar, Texas's political culture is traditionalist and
A) individualistic.
B) moralistic.
C) socialistic.
D) communal.
E) innovative.
Q4) In Texas elections, the ______ play(s) the largest role in running campaigns.
A) national party
B) state party
C) candidates
D) media
E) local party
Page 7
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Chapter 6: Interest Groups and Lobbying
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52 Verified Questions
52 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8303
Sample Questions
Q1) Interest groups in Texas are not allowed to run paid advertisements in the media.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which of the following groups have had notable political success by litigating in federal courts?
A) professional groups
B) public employee interest groups
C) civil rights groups
D) chemical company lobbyists
E) business lobbyists
Q3) What was the problem Speaker Sam Rayburn identified with the "steak men" at the beginning of the twentieth century?
A) They were politicians who were in the pocket of the cattle industry.
B) They were legislators who would "sell" their votes on a bill for free steak dinners.
C) They were legislators who would attempt to cut all the meat out of the budgets.
D) They were lobbyists who Rayburn said were full of "bull."
E) They were legislators who were in the pocket of the meat-packing industry.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 8
Chapter 7: The Texas Legislature
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53 Verified Questions
53 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8304
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following statements about partisanship in the Texas legislature is correct?
A) Partisan rivalries have been high throughout the history of the Texas legislature.
B) Historically, partisanship has been rather low, but in recent years the legislature has moved into a more partisan era.
C) The legislature was divided by partisan bickering before the 1980s, but the conflict has decreased steadily since then.
D) The Texas constitution was amended in 1986 to forbid partisanship from interfering with the legislative process.
E) Typically, with Democrats as the majority party, partisanship has been much higher than with Republicans in control.
Q2) In Texas, who can write a bill?
A) only a member of the legislature
B) the legislature or someone officially authorized by the legislature
C) any government official
D) anyone at all
E) only the legislature and/or governor
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 9
Chapter 8: The Texas Executive Branch
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55 Verified Questions
55 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8305
Sample Questions
Q1) What is the Texas governor's greatest judicial power?
A) the power to appoint judges to appeals courts, with the senate's consent
B) the power to appoint judges to vacancies in the courts
C) the power to restrict the types of cases the appeals courts may decide
D) the power to remove judges
E) the power to appoint all judges in the state
Q2) What is the most significant and far-reaching of the Texas governor's powers?
A) the power to appoint boards and commissions
B) the power to call special sessions
C) the power to submit a budget to the legislature
D) the line-item veto power
E) the post-adjournment veto power
Q3) What is the most important function of the Texas governor's staff?
A) to keep the governor informed about problems and issues
B) to act as lobbyists for the governor's agenda in the legislature
C) to represent the governor's office in different parts of the state
D) to organize the governor's electoral campaigns
E) to keep the governor organized by coordinating his or her appointments
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 10
Chapter 9: The Texas Judiciary
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77 Verified Questions
77 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8306
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is not a reason, listed by the text, that there are few minority judges in Texas?
A) One must be a lawyer to be a judge, and there are few minority lawyers in Texas.
B) Judicial districts are often quite large, and minority voters rarely make up a majority in these districts.
C) Minority voters tend to be Democrats and the Republican Party currently dominates Texas elections.
D) White voters participate in countywide elections more than minority voters.
E) Minority candidates tend to be outspent by white candidates.
Q2) Which of the following is NOT an example of general jurisdiction under a Texas district court?
A) felony
B) election contest
C) civil lawsuit
D) divorce
E) family law matters
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Chapter 10: Crime and Corrections Policy
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69 Verified Questions
69 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8307
Sample Questions
Q1) 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.
Q2) What means of execution does Texas currently use?
A) lethal injection
B) the electric chair
C) hanging
D) a firing squad
E) Texas does not currently issue the penalty of execution.
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Chapter 11: Public Finance in Texas
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74 Verified Questions
74 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8308
Sample Questions
Q1) When compared to the rest of the nation, the real estate collapse in Texas was
A) more severe.
B) less severe.
C) remedied by low property tax rates.
D) about the same as the national trend.
E) caused primarily by increased production of oil and natural gas.
Q2) In Texas, the governor's line item veto power is
A) prohibited by the state constitution.
B) meaningless because the legislature can override it with a simple majority vote.
C) very powerful because the governor can use it to limit expenditures.
D) meaningless because before the governor can use it, he or she must obtain approval of the comptroller.
E) The line-item veto can only be used when the governor and the LBB agree upon the veto.
Q3) Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the budgetary process in Texas.
Q4) Texas maintains a balanced budget because the state Constitution requires it.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Explain the impact of the Great Recession on the budget of Texas.
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Chapter 12: Public Policy in Texas
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82 Verified Questions
82 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8309
Sample Questions
Q1) According to a report released in July 2012 by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, relative to other states, Texas is ranked ______ in health care services and delivery.
A) first
B) about average C) last
D) in the top 10 percent E) above average
Q2) One of the perverse effects of public welfare is that it encourages fathers to stay connected to their families and help raise their children.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Most of the water in Texas is for A) national defense purposes.
B) home consumption by households.
C) irrigation.
D) additional water supplies for neighboring states.
E) livestock consumption.
Q4) Discuss the controversy surrounding the issue of welfare dependency.
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Chapter 13: Local Government in Texas
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59 Verified Questions
59 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8310
Sample Questions
Q1) The strong mayor form of government was created as a response to the 1900 Galveston hurricane disaster.
A)True
B)False
Q2) In the case Avery v. Midland County, the U.S. Supreme Court held that
A) special districts had to be approved by the voters.
B) educational spending levels had to be roughly the same throughout the state.
C) the principle of "one person, one vote" applied to county commissioners courts.
D) the practice of hanging was in violation of the Eighth Amendment.
E) some county governments in Texas were far too big, making them extremely powerful.
Q3) There is no single way to run a city in Texas. What are the differences between a home-rule charter and a general-law city? What are the different forms of city government used in Texas? How do they differ from each other?
Q4) Special districts have often been called the hidden government. What are special districts? What are some of the services they provide? How are special districts created, governed, and funded?
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Page 15