Texas History and Politics Review
Questions
Course Introduction
This course offers a comprehensive exploration of Texas history and politics, tracing the state's development from its indigenous roots through Spanish colonization, the struggle for independence, annexation to the United States, and into its modern role in national affairs. Students will examine key social, economic, and political milestones, including the influence of major historical figures, the impact of oil and industry, civil rights movements, and demographic shifts. The course also delves into the structure and function of Texas government, exploring the interplay of state and local institutions and Texas' unique political culture. Throughout, emphasis is placed on critical analysis of historical sources and contemporary political issues shaping Texas today.
Recommended Textbook Government and Politics in the Lone Star State 8th Edition by L. Tucker Gibson
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13 Chapters
1040 Verified Questions
1040 Flashcards
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Page 2
Chapter 1: The social and economic milieu of texas politics
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) On all measures of income, Hispanics and African Americans fall below the Anglo population.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) The South Texas Border Region has been hurt by NAFTA.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q3) Most scholars believe that the Texas constitution is
A) well organized.
B) obsolete.
C) concise.
D) very modern.
E) exactly like the U.S. Constitution.
Answer: B
Q4) Texas citizens are well educated about their state and local governments.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Page 3
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Chapter 2: The texas constitution
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79 Verified Questions
79 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The Constitution of 1836 which established the Republic of Texas was modeled after A) the new constitution of Mexico.
B) the Constitution of Coahuila y Tejas.
C) the U.S. Constitution.
D) the constitution of the neighboring Mexican state of Coahuila.
E) Spanish civil code.
Answer: C
Q2) Whenever a particularly contentious or politically dangerous issue has to be dealt with, the Texas Legislature has often avoided making a decision by putting the issue before the public in an amendment.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) After the disastrous defeat at the Alamo, the Texas army, under the command of Sam Houston, fought for a year to defeat Santa Anna's army.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
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Chapter 3: Intergovernmental relationships
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Governor Rick Perry has
A) refused to accept any federal stimulus funding from the Obama Administration.
B) personally sued President Obama over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.
C) rejected roughly half of federal funding offered to Texas.
D) accepted over $14 billion in federal funding while criticizing the growing influence of Washington.
E) worked with the Obama administration to increase federal funding to Texas.
Answer: D
Q2) Because the writers of the U.S.Constitution foresaw the necessity to organize formal agreements between states, they provided for ________ compacts.
A) intrastate
B) regional
C) sectional
D) interstate
E) border
Answer: D
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Interest groups and political power in texas
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) ________ is dedicated to promoting and protecting the interests of African Americans.
A) LUCLAC
B) NOW
C) The NAACP
D) The Black Panthers
E) TEXPAC
Q2) The common goal of broad-based business and industry groups is to
A) maintain and improve upon a favorable business climate.
B) promote the common welfare of society.
C) seek to advance the interests of specific industries.
D) promote the common good of the people.
E) loosening the restrictions of environmental protection laws.
Q3) Define lobbying and give the primary objectives of those who engage in lobbying.
Q4) Define hyperpluralism.Describe possible threats of this development to the political system.
Q5) Interest groups must decide which candidates they will back through campaign contributions, organized support, and endorsements.
A)True
B)False
6
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Chapter 5: The mass media in texas politics
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Many contend that Texas citizens are not well informed about state government and issues.If true, what kind of future do you predict for Texas if the public's attentiveness to policymaking remains as it is today? Give specific examples to support your view.
Q2) The least consistent readers and viewers of government and political news are the business community and the political leaders who actively influence and work on policy formation.
A)True
B)False
Q3) News coverage has changed significantly in the past forty years; television has become the major source of news for most Texans.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The media have become a major institution linking governments to A) their political parties.
B) their fellow mass media members.
C) their constituents.
D) the Internet.
E) each other.
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Chapter 6: The party system in
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80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) V.O.Key in Southern Politics concluded that bifactionalism in the Democratic Party left Texas with
A) a one-party system that despite factionalism in the Democratic Party could still exercise total dominance.
B) a bi-party system as the weakness in the Democratic Party allowed the Republican Party to rise.
C) a one-party system where the Democratic Party was weak but there was little in the form of challengers.
D) the foundations of multiparty politics exacerbated by internal party differences that could not be resolved.
E) no-party politics where the influence of pressure groups was high because the lines of power were blurred.
Q2) Public policy is the result of groups organizing around issues and keeping pressure on
A) interest groups.
B) elected officials.
C) party leaders.
D) business leaders.
E) the governor.
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Chapter 7: Elections, campaigns, and political behavior
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The________ is responsible for the administration of the general election in November.
A) precinct
B) county
C) national government
D) state
E) city government
Q2) Normally between 80 percent and 90 percent of African Americans vote Democratic.
A)True
B)False
Q3) The governor can call special elections to fill vacancies in certain offices.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Focus groups include________ participants with specific ________ to help media consultants decide which political ads to use.
A) eight to twelve; income levels
B) eight to ten; racial identities
C) eight to twelve; demographic characteristics
D) five to eight; likes and dislikes
E) twelve to sixteen; party preferences
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Chapter 8: The texas legislature
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What are the primary causes of legislative turnover in the Texas legislature?
A) It is a thankless job that has low stature and popularity in the eyes of many Texans.
B) The year-long legislative sessions often have a negative effect on a legislator's family life.
C) The effects of redistricting, low pay, and personal costs of running for office make the position undesirable.
D) The vicious nature of politics in Austin disenfranchises legislators from seeking reelection.
E) The lack of benefits and responsibilities outside the legislature lead many not to return.
Q2) Most legislators are honest, hard-working individuals.
A)True
B)False
Q3) To curb lawmakers' power, the Texas constitutional framers limited the regular legislative session to a maximum of 180 days every other year.
A)True
B)False
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Page 10
Chapter 9: The texas executive
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) One of the governor's informal resources is the ability to A) mobilize the Texas National Guard.
B) communicate to the public through the mass media.
C) call and set the agenda for special legislative sessions.
D) proclaim acts of executive clemency for convicted criminals.
E) make recommendations on the budget.
Q2) Why did Governor Bush face much opposition over his plan to lower property taxes?
A) Business lobbyists protested against a new business tax while the Senate was adamant to support an increased sales tax.
B) The Democratic-controlled Senate refused to approve a large increase in state sales taxes to offset it.
C) The financial crisis that Texas faced in 1997 made the idea of lowering property taxes absurd, and as a result, both chambers refused to agree to Bush's plan.
D) The House only supported Bush's plan once he backed down from the idea of lowering school taxes.
E) Education unions lobbied heavily at the proposed cuts to school funding that were necessary to offset the decrease in property taxes.
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Page 11
Chapter 10: The bureaucracy and policy implementation
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81 Verified Questions
81 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) A merit employment system
A) is similar to political patronage because officeholders choose employees they have personal relationships with that are best qualified for the job.
B) became very successful in Texas once the legislature set up an independent agency solely for the purpose of testing perspective employees and monitoring existing employees.
C) is inconsistent with the individualistic political culture in Texas because of the decentralized plural executive and officeholders who jealously guard their prerogative to hire and fire.
D) failed in Texas because the legislators were unwilling to give employment to women and minorities without extensively testing them, while allowing Anglo men patronage positions.
E) is consistent with the individualistic political culture in Texas because of the decentralized plural executive and officeholders' desire to get the very best employees.
Q2) Politics has been eliminated in the hiring and promotion of public employees.
A)True
B)False
Q3) How would you describe the personnel system in Texas? Defend your answer.
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Page 12
Chapter 11: The judicial system in texas
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Briefly discuss how large campaign contributions can potentially negatively influence the judicial system.What steps have been taken to remove their influence?
Q2) Most judges in Texas are
A) appellate court justices.
B) justices of the peace.
C) county court justices.
D) district court justices.
E) municipal court justices.
Q3) The existence of two courts at the highest level of the state judiciary is referred to as a
A) bicameral court system.
B) bifurcated court system.
C) bi-level court system.
D) dual court system.
E) double court system.
Q4) Describe the jury system in Texas.Include the types of juries, their duties, and requirements for eligibility.
Q5) How do federal courts have a major effect on Texas government policies and criminal justice?
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Chapter 12: Local government in texas: cities, towns, counties, and special districts
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Discuss what you consider to be the three most serious problems facing local governments in Texas. What solutions do you recommend? Describe and justify your recommendations.
Q2) Of the eight largest cities in Texas, only Houston and Dallas have minority populations exceeding 50 percent.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Some areas, particularly in West Texas, still have a lot of elbow room, but most Texans live in cities.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Public improvement districts in Texas are specific areas of a city in which property owners pay special taxes in return for improvements to streets and other public facilities in their neighborhood.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Explain the differences between at-large elections and elections conducted by single-member districts.Explain why one is preferred over the other.What are the positives and drawbacks of both?
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Chapter 13: Contemporary public policy issues in texas
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/8067
Sample Questions
Q1) A 2009 study found the wealthiest 1 percent of Texas families paid percent of their incomes in state and local taxes.
A) 33.5
B) 23.5
C) 13.5
D) 7.5
E) 3.3
Q2) What criteria would you use to evaluate the fairness of the state's tax structure? Explain why you chose those criteria and predict what such an evaluation would reveal about the fairness of the Texas tax structure.Based on that hypothetical evaluation, what changes in the tax structure (if any) would you recommend?
Q3) In 2010, nearly one-fifth of Texas children had no health insurance.
A)True B)False
Q4) Fifty-three percent of Texans strongly support the death penalty. A)True
B)False
Q5) Briefly describe how federal court intervention (Ruiz v.Estelle) in the state's prison system affected inmate housing.
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