Deck 1: The Environment of Texas Politics

Question 1

According tothe 2013 estimates made by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the population of Texas is approximately

A) 6 million.
B) 16 million.
C) 26 million.
D) 36 million.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Of the 50 states, Texas ranks __________ in land area.

A) first
B) second
C) fifth
D) tenth

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Central Texas includes the cities of

A) Houston, Brownsville, and El Paso.
B) Dallas, Fort Worth, and Plano.
C) Abilene, Amarillo, and Odessa.
D) Waco, Austin, and San Antonio.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following have become effective campaign tools because they allow users to engage in social networking and create online communities?

A) Bit torrents
B) Social media
C) Traditional media
D) Data mines

Question 5

Agriculture in the West Texas Plains depends heavily on

A) a substantial increase in rainfall there since 1950.
B) the development of hybrid strains that require minimal water.
C) the Ogallala Aquifer.
D) water brought from the Gulf of Mexico.

Question 6

For many cities in the __________ region of Texas, Spanish is the primary language, Catholicism is the dominant religion, and international trade is an increasingly important part of the economy.

A) border
B) West Texas Plains
C) Gulf Coast
D) North Texas

Question 7

The fact that Texas has a limited government with restricted powers and low per capita government spending demonstrates the strength of the ___________ political subculture in the state.

A) individualistic
B) traditionalistic
C) moralistic
D) hedonistic

Question 8

The process of policymaking that involves conflict and cooperation between political parties and other groups that seek to elect government officials or to influence those officials when they make public policy, is referred to as

A) politics.
B) public policy.
C) government.
D) justice.

Question 9

The "values, attitudes, traditions, habits, and general behavioral patterns that develop over time and shape the politics of a particular region," are collectively referred to as

A) political culture.
B) political socialization.
C) political economics.
D) political geography.

Question 10

According to Professor Daniel Elazar, the political culture of Texas is dominated by the

A) individualistic subculture.
B) individualistic and traditionalistic subcultures.
C) moralistic and traditionalistic subcultures.
D) moralistic and individualistic subcultures.

Question 11

The adoption of "right to work"law in Texas demonstrates that the state government maintains a climate friendly to

A) business owners.
B) labor unions.
C) immigrant laborers.
D) women and minorities.

Question 12

The approximate land area of Texas, in square miles, is

A) 167,000,000.
B) 267,000.
C) 65,000.
D)949.

Question 13

Complete the following sentence: The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex

A) has seen decades of economic decline as timber and cotton production become less profitable.
B) has seen decades of economic decline as businesses continue to move to other regions.
C) has seen decades of strong economic growth as major corporations move their headquarters there.
D) has seen decades of strong economic growth as agriculture has become the basis of the local economy.

Question 14

When the Texas legislature increases taxes to meet the goal of improving streets and highways, it is implementing

A) public policy.
B) a federal mandate.
C) justice.
D) regulatory authority.

Question 15

"A public institution with authority to formulate, adopt, implement, and enforce public policies for a society" defines

A) politics.
B) public policy.
C) government.
D) justice.

Question 16

The large geographical size of Texas

A) means that campaigning for statewide political office requires a substantial investment of resources.
B) reduces the need for candidates to raise campaign contributions.
C) makes the use of social media unnecessary and rare in political campaigns.
D) results in more senators from Texas in the United States Senate than from smaller states.

Question 17

TheTemperance movement's efforts to use government to end the sale and consumption of alcohol in Texas demonstrated the existence of a __________ political subculture in the state.

A) rustic
B) individualistic
C) traditionalistic
D) moralistic

Question 18

Which is true of East Texas?

A) It is racially segregated and heavily influenced by Protestant fundamentalism.
B) The economy there is dominated by high-technology firms and defense contractors.
C) Timber production there has ended, and cotton is no longer grown in the region.
D) The Democratic Party continues to dominate politics and local government there.

Question 19

The Gulf Coast region is home to ___________, the largest and most diverse city in Texas.

A) Houston
B) Dallas
C) Austin
D) San Antonio

Question 20

Laws that segregated African Americans and denied them access to public services were known as

A) Jim Crow laws.
B) eminent domain.
C) naturalization laws.
D) separation policies.

Question 21

Texas has the __________ largest number of African Americans in the nation after New York and California.

A) second
B) fourth
C) fifth
D) third

Question 22

Four of the five largest private corporations in Texas in 2014 were

A) energy related.
B) technology related.
C) cotton related.
D) manufacturing related.

Question 23

Which of the following statements regarding the population of Texas is false?

A) The state population has grown at a rate faster than the national average.
B) Urbanization has occurred.
C) During the 20th century, the state shifted from an urban to a rural society.
D) Texas is experiencing suburbanization on a very large scale.

Question 24

The process of mixing chemicals with sand and water and injecting them into the ground to force out oil and gas from the shale below, is referred to as

A) pumping.
B) fracking.
C) hydroplaning.
D) turbining.

Question 25

The elderly population in Texas

A) is shrinking, and will drop below 1 million people by 2030.
B) is the most liberal voting bloc in the state.
C) is less likely to vote and participate in politics than any other age group.
D) none of these choices is true of the elderly population in Texas.

Question 26

By 2014, the Hispanic population of Texas

A) comprised about 39 percent of the state.
B) had become mostly concentrated in northeast Texas.
C) constituted a majority of the population in 100 Texas counties.
D) had a higher median age than did the Anglo population.

Question 27

Approximately what percentage of Texans now live in Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs)?

A) Less than 20 percent
B) About 50 percent
C) Exactly 69 percent
D) More than 80 percent

Question 28

Which of the following land-based industries formed the basis of the early economic development of Texas?

A) Cotton, cattle, timber, and oil
B) Cattle, oil, corn, and real estate speculation
C) Mining, cattle, natural gas, and oil
D) Manufacturing, oil, silver, and cotton

Question 29

Among the 50 states, Texas currently ranks __________ in population.

A) first
B) second
C) third
D) fifth

Question 30

Approximately what proportion of Texans speak a language other than English at home?

A) one-tenth (1/10)
B) one-fifth (1/5)
C) one-third (1/3)
D) one-half (1/2)

Question 31

The African American population of Texas

A) comprises over one-half of the state's population.
B) resides primarily on farms and in rural villages.
C) is concentrated in Lubbock, Laredo, and El Paso.
D) resides mainly in urban counties of north central, northeast, and southeast Texas.

Question 32

Of the fifteen fastest growing cities in the United States in 2014, how many were in Texas?

A) one
B) three
C) seven
D) fourteen

Question 33

Which of the following is a multibillion-dollar industry that produces products, such as medicines and vaccines, to benefit medical science?

A) Biotechnology
B) High-technology
C) Nanotechnology
D) Robotics

Question 34

The development of which industry transformed Texas from a predominantly agricultural culture into an industrial society?

A) Cotton
B) Cattle
C) Timber
D) Oil

Question 35

Between 2000 and 2013, Texas's population grew by approximately

A) 4 percent.
B) 27 percent.
C) 11 percent.
D) 39 percent.

Question 36

The history of Texas suburbs is marked by racial segregation because

A) the federal government used policies like redlining and urban renewal in a discriminatory manner.
B) state and local governments engaged in discriminatory practices such as exclusionary zoning and racial covenants.
C) some realtors and lenders steered their clients into segregated neighborhoods.
D) all of these choices are reasons that racial segregation marked the development of Texas suburbs.

Question 37

The Native American population in Texas declined in the centuries following European colonization because

A) Europeans and their African slaves brought diseases like cholera.
B) violence between Native Americans and Anglo settlers was frequent.
C) some Texan Anglo leaders pursued policies of removal and extermination.
D) all of these choices contributed to the decline of the Native American population.

Question 38

Which of the following is true of high-technology jobs?

A) They tend to be low-wage jobs with few benefits.
B) The government of Texas has done nothing to encourage the development of high-technology jobs in the state.
C) More than one-third of high-technology jobs are in technical, managerial, and professional positions.
D) Most high-technology firms produce products like farm tractors, toasters, and spatulas.

Question 39

Based on current trends, some demographers project that by 2040 Texas Latinos will make up approximately ___________ of the state's population.

A) 28 percent
B) 38 percent
C) 48percent
D) 58 percent

Question 40

The Asian American population of Texas is

A) descended from Chinese laborers.
B) primarily immigrant, having come from Southeast Asia.
C) concentrated in rural areas of the state.
D) is statistically less likely than other groups to attend universities.

Question 41

Which is a true statement regarding agriculture in Texas?

A) It is hampered by poor rail, road, and harbor facilities.
B) It sells most of its output in Texas grocery stores.
C) It produces commodities that are all processed in Texas.
D) It is characterized by a decreasing number of farms with large acreages.

Question 42

Since 2011, land-based industries in Texas have experienced record financial losses as a result of

A) increased taxes.
B) a drought.
C) immigration.
D) fraud.

Question 43

NAFTA has been criticized because of

A) loss of clothing manufacturers in the United States.
B) increased air pollution.
C) economic damage to fruit and vegetable producers in Texas.
D) all of these choices are common criticisms of NAFTA.

Question 44

The Texas DREAM Act

A) granted amnesty and citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants in Texas.
B) allows certain undocumented immigrants who were brought to Texas as children to pay in-state tuition at public colleges.
C) illegal immigration is no longer a problem for Texas.
D) authorized the creation of a border fence with a moat along the Texas-Mexico border.

Question 45

Which of the following is a true statement?

A) Education in Texas has produced the highest literacy rate among adults of any of the 50 states.
B) Texas schools are focused mainly on preparing Texas's citizens for careers in science andtechnology.
C) The state of Texas spends more on education per pupil than any other state.
D) Texas ranks among the bottom 10 states in high school graduation rate and average SAT scores.

Question 46

In 1986 President Ronald Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act, which

A) granted amnesty to any immigrant who entered the country illegally before 1982.
B) provided penalties for employers who knowingly hired undocumented immigrants.
C) authorized more enforcement personnel for the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
D) all of these choices are provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

Question 47

By 2014, approximately what proportion of Texas children were living in poverty?

A) One in twenty (1/20)
B) One in ten (1/10)
C) One in four (1/4)
D) One in two (1/2)

Question 48

Which of the following is false regardingmaquiladoras?

A) They have become common on the Mexican side of the border since the passage of NAFTA.
B) Labor policies in maquiladoras have been found to endanger women who work there.
C) They are confined largely to food-processing industries.
D) They enable U.S. goods to be made with cheaper labor in Mexico and exported to the United States without being taxed.

Question 49

Which best describes the state of health insurance in Texas?

A) Texas has the highest proportion of uninsured residents of any of the 50 states.
B) Health insurance in Texas is more affordable than in any other state.
C) Texas has accepted the Affordable Care Act's expansion of Medicaid and will cover millions of previously uninsured people.
D) Texas has one of the lowest percentages of uninsured children of any of the 50 states.

Question 50

The North American Free Trade Agreement (1993)

A) reduced trade barriers between the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
B) created a superhighway from Mexico to Canada.
C) lowered vehicle emission standards for the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
D) opened trade relations between the United States and Cuba.

Question 51

More than __________ percent of U.S. exports to Mexico are produced in Texas.

A) 50
B) 70
C) 60
D) 80

Question 52

Which of the following was created in 1957 for purposes of state mandated water planning?

A) Texas Education Agency
B) Texas Department of Water
C) Texas Environmental Protection Agency
D) Texas Water Development Board

Question 53

Undocumented immigrants in Texas have an impact on the state economy by

A) providing an expensive source of labor, which increases wages for all workers.
B) saving the state from spending because they make no use of public services.
C) investing in corporations at a higher rate than any other group.
D) paying state taxes when they buy goods and services and rent property.

Question 54

Persons who enter the United States in violation of federal immigration laws are referred to as

A) undocumented immigrants.
B) naturalized residents.
C) temporary citizens.
D) asylum recipients.

Question 55

Texas faces water challenges due to which of the following factors?

A) Increased population and urbanization
B) Drought
C) Fracking
D) All of these choices are true.

Question 56

Texas ranks __________ among the states in the amount of hazardouswaste generated, carbon dioxide emissions, and toxic chemicals released into the air and into the groundwater.

A) first
B) third
C) last
D) fifth

Question 57

When Texas sued to block the Environmental Protection Agency's regulations on coal-fired power plants in 2011, the result was a Supreme Court Decision in 2014 affirming that

A) Texas may create its own emissions standards.
B) the EPA does have the authority to regulate carbon pollution and fight global climate change.
C) all emissions in Texas must stop by 2020.
D) Texas is exempt from the Clean Air Act.

Question 58

The service industry in Texas

A) pays lower wages and salaries than manufacturing firms.
B) is one of the slowest growing economic sectors in Texas.
C) created genetically modified organisms (GMO's).
D) employs over one-half of all Texas workers.

Question 59

As a result of current immigration policies

A) politicians of both major parties agree on proper naturalization law.
B) immigration has declined sharply because Texas employers are unwilling to hire this class of workers.
C) many families are separated as undocumented immigrants are arrested, detained, or deported.
D) immigration rates have tripled.

Question 60

What proportion of the state population in Texas lives below the poverty line?

A) One-twentieth (1/20)
B) One-tenth (1/10)
C) One-fifth (1/5)
D) One-third (1/3)

Question 61

Immigration is currently a hot topic in the state of Texas. Explain the benefits and challenges brought about by immigration. Choose one immigration law (i.e., Texas DREAM Act of 2001, Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002, or Secure Fence Act of 2006)and identify your political position on it. Do you think the law is justified? Do you think it is effective? Are there things about the law that should change? Provide evidence for your answers.

Question 62

Describe the development of de facto segregation in Texas's suburbs.

Question 63

Imagine that a separate state was created for each of Texas's six principal regions. Choose two regions to compare and explain the potential differences between them in political culture, policy decisions, and economic conditions. Explain the potential impact of dividing Texas into separate states on national politics and the U.S. government.

Question 64

Imagine that you have been given autocratic power over Texas. It comes with one condition: you must reduce the percentage of persons living in poverty to 5 percent or less. What would you do? In your discussion, explore the causes and incidence of poverty. You may also want to speculate on whether a high degree of poverty is inevitable.

Question 65

Describe the main challenges facing education in Texas and what you think should be done to meet those challenges.

Question 66

Discuss the history of the timber industry in Texas. Why did it become such an important part of the state economy, and why has it declined in importance?

Question 67

How does Texas's large geographical size affect politics in the state?

Question 68

Trace the historical development and current status of the cotton, cattle, timber, and oil industries in Texas. How has their role in the state economy changed over time, and how important do you think each will be for Texas's economic future? What other industries do you think are important for the state to develop and sustain in the coming decades? What role should the state government play in developing and sustaining them?

Question 69

Discuss the role of white supremacy and racial injustice in Texas. What evidence exists to shed light on the degree to which racial oppression played in the role of Texas history? How has it shaped the social, economic, and political fortunes of the different racial and ethnic groups in Texas? What still needs to change and who do you think is responsible for bringing about that change? Provide evidence for your answers.

Question 70

Discuss the political culture of Texas. Do you accept what Professor Elazar identified as the dominant political culture in Texas? Why or why not? From where didTexas's political culture come and how has it changed over time? How do you think it will change in the future? Provide evidence for your answers.

Question 71

Critically examine the controversy over hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in Texas. What benefits and challenges does fracking bring to the state? What role should the state government play in supporting, regulating, or ending fracking in Texas? What do you think are the most important energy sources for the state to invest in for the future and why?

Question 72

The drought that began in 2011 had a severe impact on the state of Texas. Explain the impact the drought had on the Texas economy, specifically identifying the effects on land-based industries, as well as the indirect effects for other industries and for urbanization within the state. What role should state government, industries, and individuals play in managing Texas's water supply?

Question 73

Explain the difference between politics and government.

Question 74

Trace the history of conflict among racial and ethnic groups throughout Texas history. What are the sources of the conflicts? How have relations among racial and ethnic groups changed over time in the state and why? How do you think these relations will change in the future?

Question 75

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was created in order to lower tariffs between three trading partners (the United States, Canada, and Mexico). Provide an explanation of the advantages/benefits of the agreement, followed by an understanding of the disadvantages/criticism of the agreement.