Question 1

The Texas Constitution of 1876 was designed to limit the power of government, especially of the governor's office.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

The separation of government into three branches-legislative, executive, and judicial-is called

Accepted Answer

A)  division of labor. 
B)  checks and balances. 
C)  separation of powers. 
D)  federalism. 
E)  constitutionalism. 
A)  division of labor. 
B)  checks and balances. 
C)  separation of powers. 
D)  federalism. 
E)  constitutionalism.

Question 3

In what year was Texas's current constitution ratified?

Accepted Answer

A)  1828 
B)  1845 
C)  1876 
D)  1946 
E)  1999 
A)  1828 
B)  1845 
C)  1876 
D)  1946 
E)  1999

Question 4

Urban business interests had the greatest role in writing the Texas Constitution of 1876.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Which of the following was not part of the Ratliff-Junell proposal for Texas constitutional change?

Accepted Answer

A)  The judiciary should be appointed by the governor, with confirmation by the Senate. 
B)  The executive branch should be reorganized to look more like the federal executive branch. 
C)  The legislature would hold veto sessions in order to consider overriding any gubernatorial vetoes. 
D)  The length of terms of office would grow, but there would also be term limits. 
E)  The governor would be given the authority to appoint several state office holders who are currently elected. 
A)  The judiciary should be appointed by the governor, with confirmation by the Senate. 
B)  The executive branch should be reorganized to look more like the federal executive branch. 
C)  The legislature would hold veto sessions in order to consider overriding any gubernatorial vetoes. 
D)  The length of terms of office would grow, but there would also be term limits. 
E)  The governor would be given the authority to appoint several state office holders who are currently elected.

Question 6

The supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution states that

Accepted Answer

A)  the constitution of Texas is the supreme law in Texas. 
B)  laws passed by the national government are supreme over all state laws. 
C)  the president is the supreme government authority throughout the United States. 
D)  all laws passed by the Texas legislature are supreme, even if they conflict with federal laws. 
E)  state laws take precedence over national laws when they conflict. 
A)  the constitution of Texas is the supreme law in Texas. 
B)  laws passed by the national government are supreme over all state laws. 
C)  the president is the supreme government authority throughout the United States. 
D)  all laws passed by the Texas legislature are supreme, even if they conflict with federal laws. 
E)  state laws take precedence over national laws when they conflict.

Question 7

Which of the following was not an important part of the 1827 Constitution of Coahuila y Tejas, established when Texas was part of Mexico?

Accepted Answer

A)  It established Catholicism as an official religion. 
B)  It established a unicameral legislature. 
C)  It attempted to restrict the spread of slavery. 
D)  It divided the state into three separate districts. 
E)  It established a bicameral legislature. 
A)  It established Catholicism as an official religion. 
B)  It established a unicameral legislature. 
C)  It attempted to restrict the spread of slavery. 
D)  It divided the state into three separate districts. 
E)  It established a bicameral legislature.

Question 8

Which of the following is the best definition of a confederation?

Accepted Answer

A)  a system of government in which states maintain their sovereignty 
B)  a system of government in which all political power granted by the people is clearly expressed in a constitution, making a written bill of rights unnecessary 
C)  a system of government in which the national government has extensive powers over the states 
D)  a system of government that permits slavery 
E)  a system of government in which powers are balanced evenly between the federal government and the states 
A)  a system of government in which states maintain their sovereignty 
B)  a system of government in which all political power granted by the people is clearly expressed in a constitution, making a written bill of rights unnecessary 
C)  a system of government in which the national government has extensive powers over the states 
D)  a system of government that permits slavery 
E)  a system of government in which powers are balanced evenly between the federal government and the states

Question 9

The main problem that stalled the admission of Texas into the United States was

Accepted Answer

A)  the lack of enough people in Texas. 
B)  Texas's overly large debt, which would have to be assumed by the federal government. 
C)  that Texas would be a proslavery state. 
D)  that foreign nations had refused to recognize an independent Texas. 
E)  that Texas was still under the control of Mexico. 
A)  the lack of enough people in Texas. 
B)  Texas's overly large debt, which would have to be assumed by the federal government. 
C)  that Texas would be a proslavery state. 
D)  that foreign nations had refused to recognize an independent Texas. 
E)  that Texas was still under the control of Mexico.

Question 10

Who were the Radical Republicans?

Accepted Answer

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 
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

Question 11

Under the Texas Constitution, who has the power of impeachment?

Accepted Answer

A)  The House of Representatives has the power to impeach, while the senate has the power to try and convict. 
B)  The senate has the power to both impeach and convict. 
C)  The House of Representatives has the power to impeach, while the state supreme court has the power to try and convict. 
D)  Texas has no constitutional provisions for impeachment. 
E)  The Texas supreme court has the power to impeach and convict. 
A)  The House of Representatives has the power to impeach, while the senate has the power to try and convict. 
B)  The senate has the power to both impeach and convict. 
C)  The House of Representatives has the power to impeach, while the state supreme court has the power to try and convict. 
D)  Texas has no constitutional provisions for impeachment. 
E)  The Texas supreme court has the power to impeach and convict.

Question 12

What was the main criticism of the current Texas Constitution behind the Ratliff-Junell proposal for a new constitution?

Accepted Answer

A)  The constitution gave the executive branch too much power over the legislative process. 
B)  The constitution allowed for too many corrupt interest groups to control Texas politics. 
C)  The constitution was too old to be representative of modern people. 
D)  The constitution was too restrictive and cumbersome for contemporary government. 
E)  The constitution was too easy to amend. 
A)  The constitution gave the executive branch too much power over the legislative process. 
B)  The constitution allowed for too many corrupt interest groups to control Texas politics. 
C)  The constitution was too old to be representative of modern people. 
D)  The constitution was too restrictive and cumbersome for contemporary government. 
E)  The constitution was too easy to amend.

Question 13

Which of the following was not part of the annexation agreement between Texas and the United States?

Accepted Answer

A)  Texas could divide itself into as many as five separate states. 
B)  Texas was responsible for paying all foreign debts it incurred while independent. 
C)  Texas could maintain its own army and navy for twenty-five years. 
D)  Texas would retain title to its public lands. 
E)  Texas ceded all military armaments, bases, and facilities to the U.S. government. 
A)  Texas could divide itself into as many as five separate states. 
B)  Texas was responsible for paying all foreign debts it incurred while independent. 
C)  Texas could maintain its own army and navy for twenty-five years. 
D)  Texas would retain title to its public lands. 
E)  Texas ceded all military armaments, bases, and facilities to the U.S. government.

Question 14

There have been several calls to revamp the Texas Constitution. What has been the rationale for significant changes to the Texas constitution? Describe the attempts in the mid-1970s and in 1999 to change the constitution. Why did each attempt fail?

Accepted Answer

The rationale for significant changes to

Question 15

Which of the following describes a significant difference between the structure of the Texas executive department and the structure of the U.S. executive branch?

Accepted Answer

A)  In Texas, the executive department is made up of several elected offices, instead of just one. 
B)  The chief executive in Texas does not have the power to check the legislature with a veto, as the U.S. president can. 
C)  The governor has term limits, while the U.S. president does not. 
D)  The governor of Texas is paid more than the U.S. president. 
E)  The governor is considered president of the Texas senate, while the U.S. president is not considered the presiding officer over the U.S. Senate. 
A)  In Texas, the executive department is made up of several elected offices, instead of just one. 
B)  The chief executive in Texas does not have the power to check the legislature with a veto, as the U.S. president can. 
C)  The governor has term limits, while the U.S. president does not. 
D)  The governor of Texas is paid more than the U.S. president. 
E)  The governor is considered president of the Texas senate, while the U.S. president is not considered the presiding officer over the U.S. Senate.

Question 16

What is the function of a state constitution? In what ways are the Texas and the U.S. constitutions similar in principle? What are some of the key differences between the Texas and U.S. constitutions?

Accepted Answer

The function of a state constitution is

The Texas Constitution of 1876 was designed to limit the power of government, especially of the governor's office.

The separation of government into three branches-legislative, executive, and judicial-is called

In what year was Texas's current constitution ratified?

Urban business interests had the greatest role in writing the Texas Constitution of 1876.

Which of the following was not part of the Ratliff-Junell proposal for Texas constitutional change?

The supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution states that

Which of the following was not an important part of the 1827 Constitution of Coahuila y Tejas, established when Texas was part of Mexico?

Which of the following is the best definition of a confederation?

The main problem that stalled the admission of Texas into the United States was

Who were the Radical Republicans?

Under the Texas Constitution, who has the power of impeachment?

What was the main criticism of the current Texas Constitution behind the Ratliff-Junell proposal for a new constitution?

Which of the following was not part of the annexation agreement between Texas and the United States?

There have been several calls to revamp the Texas Constitution. What has been the rationale for significant changes to the Texas constitution? Describe the attempts in the mid-1970s and in 1999 to change the constitution. Why did each attempt fail?

Which of the following describes a significant difference between the structure of the Texas executive department and the structure of the U.S. executive branch?

What is the function of a state constitution? In what ways are the Texas and the U.S. constitutions similar in principle? What are some of the key differences between the Texas and U.S. constitutions?

The Political Culture, People, and Economy of Texas

Texas and the Nation

Political Parties in Texas

Elections in Texas

Interest Groups and Lobbying

The Texas Legislature

The Texas Executive Branch

The Texas Judiciary

Crime and Corrections Policy

Public Finance in Texas

Public Policy in Texas

Local Government in Texas

Filters

Exam 3: The Texas Constitution

The Texas Constitution of 1876 was designed to limit the power of government, especially of the governor's office.

The separation of government into three branches-legislative, executive, and judicial-is called

In what year was Texas's current constitution ratified?

Urban business interests had the greatest role in writing the Texas Constitution of 1876.

Which of the following was not part of the Ratliff-Junell proposal for Texas constitutional change?

The supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution states that

Which of the following was not an important part of the 1827 Constitution of Coahuila y Tejas, established when Texas was part of Mexico?

Which of the following is the best definition of a confederation?

The main problem that stalled the admission of Texas into the United States was

Who were the Radical Republicans?

Under the Texas Constitution, who has the power of impeachment?

What was the main criticism of the current Texas Constitution behind the Ratliff-Junell proposal for a new constitution?

Which of the following was not part of the annexation agreement between Texas and the United States?

There have been several calls to revamp the Texas Constitution. What has been the rationale for significant changes to the Texas constitution? Describe the attempts in the mid-1970s and in 1999 to change the constitution. Why did each attempt fail?

Which of the following describes a significant difference between the structure of the Texas executive department and the structure of the U.S. executive branch?

What is the function of a state constitution? In what ways are the Texas and the U.S. constitutions similar in principle? What are some of the key differences between the Texas and U.S. constitutions?

The Political Culture, People, and Economy of Texas

Texas and the Nation

Political Parties in Texas

Elections in Texas

Interest Groups and Lobbying

The Texas Legislature

The Texas Executive Branch

The Texas Judiciary

Crime and Corrections Policy

Public Finance in Texas

Public Policy in Texas

Local Government in Texas

Filters