Deck 2: The Texas Constitution

Question 1

At one point Texas was controlled by

A) France.
B) Mexico.
C) Great Britain.
D) Canada.
E) Japan.

Answer 1

Mexico.

Question 2

At the end of reconstruction in 1867, Congress stipulated that Texas could not be readmitted into the union unless it

A) wrote a new constitution declaring the Republican party be the majority party in both houses of the state legislature.
B) wrote a new constitution that guaranteed universal adult male suffrage.
C) gave up control of its public lands.
D) gave up territory along its southern border with Mexico.
E) wrote a new constitution extending the right to vote to women.

Answer 2

wrote a new constitution that guaranteed universal adult male suffrage.

Question 3

The 1876 Texas Constitution was different from the previous constitutions because

A) it was written prior to the Reconstruction.
B) it was not written by Texans.
C) it was written as a movement for restrictive constitutions that were sweeping the nation.
D) it was very short.
E) it was modeled after the Spanish Constitution.

Answer 3

it was written as a movement for restrictive constitutions that were sweeping the nation.

Question 4

The plural executive has been criticized because it

A) limits people's power over the executive branch.
B) limits the legislature's power over the governor.
C) limits the executive power of the governor to implement policy.
D) limits the judicial power of the courts to implement policy.
E) makes the executive branch too strong.

Question 5

The constitutional requirement for 140-day biennial sessions helps explain why the Texas legislature is considered a

A) unicameral legislature.
B) bicameral legislature.
C) part-time, professional legislature.
D) full-time, citizen legislature.
E) part-time, citizen legislature

Question 6

The state court system in Texas consists primarily of judges who are

A) elected.
B) appointed by the governor.
C) appointed by the Texas Senate.
D) appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Texas Senate.
E) appointed by the lieutenant governor.

Question 7

The Constitutional Revision Commission was a group established to

A) research and draft limited constitutional revisions.
B) research and draft specific constitutional amendments.
C) research and draft a constitution.
D) research and draft a bill of rights.
E) call for the repeal of the state's bill of rights.

Question 8

Cockroaches and revisionists are diametrically opposed over the issue of

A) revisions of the Texas Constitution.
B) revisions of federal and state power relations.
C) revisions of local government power.
D) revisions of county government power.
E) revisions of city charters.

Question 9

During its period of independence, Texas was referred to as

A) the State of Texas.
B) the Republic of Texas.
C) the Nation of Texas.
D) the Confederacy.
E) the Lone Star Confederation.

Question 10

The current Texas Constitution is best described as a

A) liberal constitution.
B) conservative constitution.
C) populists' constitution.
D) populist constitution.
E) statutory constitution.

Question 11

Which historical event did NOT lead to writing a new Texas constitution?

A) independence from Mexico
B) secession from the United States
C) reentrance into the United States after the Civil War
D) the discovery of oil in Texas
E) the Mexican Revolution

Question 12

In which decade did the Texas Constitution see the most Amendments?

A) The 1870s
B) The 1920s
C) The 1960s
D) The 1980s
E) The 2000s

Question 13

-According to the table above (see "Analyzing Visuals," page 46 of your text), turnout in Texas elections is highest in

A) presidential elections.
B) gubernatorial elections.
C) special elections.
D) partisan elections.
E) judicial elections.

Question 14

Students at Austin Community College protested against proposition 10 because

A) they are against gay marriage
B) they oppose eliminating the office for inspecting hides and animals
C) their teacher gave them extra credit.
D) they wanted to draw attention to low public political awareness
E) all of the above.

Question 15

Proponents of the 2003 Defense of Marriage Act argued that

A) the measure was necessary to check activist judges.
B) gay marriage is a good thing.
C) local government should ultimately decide the requirements for getting married in their jurisdiction.
D) civil unions are OK, but gay marriages are not.
E) the amendment would simplify the Texas Constitution.

Question 16

Proponents of the initiative process claim that

A) it would make special interest groups weaker.
B) it would make the legislature obsolete.
C) it is needed to provide a check of the majority.
D) it would save the state money.
E) it would decrease citizen involvement in the political process.

Question 17

The Texas Constitution has been amended

A) less than 100 times.
B) between 100 and 200 times.
C) between 400 and 500 times.
D) over 600 times.
E) over 1000 times.

Question 18

A revisionist is a member of

A) a legislature who supports piece-meal revision.
B) a constitutional convention who will not accept less than a total revision to a constitution.
C) a court who objects to any revisions in a constitution.
D) a political party who supports piece-meal revision.
E) an interest group member who supports piece-meal revision.

Question 19

When Texas ceased to be an independent republic and joined the United States, there was no need for a new constitution because Texas would have to abide by the U.S. Constitution.

Question 20

Current scholarship suggests that the delegates to the 1875 Constitutional Convention were well trained and possessed political experience.

Question 21

The Texas Bill of Rights is longer and more extensive than the United States Bill of Rights.

Question 22

The Texas Constitution has been amended less than 200 times.

Question 23

Except for the governor, all officeholders in a plural executive are appointed.

Question 24

The Texas legislature typically meets once every two years.

Question 25

There are two supreme courts in the Texas judicial system.

Question 26

The 1974 Constitutional Convention was a great success.

Question 27

The 1999 constitutional revision proposals would have expanded the plural executive in Texas.

Question 28

The legislature gave careful consideration and attention to the proposed 1999 constitution.

Question 29

Texas's current constitution was written in 1876.

Question 30

Texas governors have much more control over public policy than governors in other states.

Question 31

Most political scientists and attorneys agree that the best way to select judges is through partisan elections.

Question 32

A cockroach is a member of a constitutional convention who opposes any changes in a constitution.

Question 33

Texas has had five constitutions since statehood.

Question 34

One reason for the success of the 1974 constitutional revision effort was that the legislature was the constitutional convention.

Question 35

Governor Edmond J. Davis had extraordinary powers to maintain public order.

Question 36

Statutory constitutions tend to lack detailed provisions about government's power.

Question 37

Why did the 1876 constitution differ from previous constitutions?

Question 38

Briefly explain how Reconstruction affected the writing of the 1876 constitution.

Question 39

What historical events caused Texas to draft several constitutions?

Question 40

Who was Edmond J. Davis and why is he considered important to Texas constitutional history?

Question 41

Discuss the reasons for the failure of recent Texas constitutional revision efforts.

Question 42

Explain why the 1974 constitutional revision efforts failed.

Question 43

Constitutional revisions have targeted all three branches of Texas government (legislative, executive, and judicial). Select two of these branches and discuss weaknesses in how they operate under the existing constitution. What are some of the proposals for overcoming these weaknesses?

Question 44

There are two methods for revising the Texas constitution. Briefly describe each method. Which method do you think is most likely to be successful in the future and why?

Question 45

Do you think the Texas Constitution should be revised? Why or why not? What things should be changed and what things should be kept the same?