Exam Name___________________________________ MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1) Given Texas' political culture, which of the following best reflects a governmental 1) policy the majority would be supportive of? A) Creating a state income tax to ensure public schools are sufficiently funded B) Expanding regulations of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to protect the underground water table C) Expansion of Medicaid to ensure people at 200% of the poverty level are afforded health coverage D) Expanded tax credits for enticing businesses to move to Texas 2) Many Texans oppose same-sex marriage and abortion. This is a reflection of ________ 2) in the state's ideology: A) Populism B) Modern liberalism C) Mercantilism D) Social Conservatism 3) What was the primary use of land in Texas from the 1820s to the 1860s? 3) A) cotton B) cattle C) oil D) Land use in the period was about equally divided among these three. 4) Compared to other states, Texas has. 4) A) Higher poverty rates and higher population growth B) Lower poverty rates and higher population growth C) Lower poverty rates and lower population growth D) Higher poverty rates and lower population growth 5) Currently, the top export of Texas is 5) A) computers and electronics. B) chemicals. C) petroleum and coal products. D) machinery. 6) Southern Democrats were able to regain control of state government with the election of 6) ________. A) 1864 B) 1874 C) 1866 D) 1878 1 7) Who led the Army of the Gulf in a show of force designed to discourage French support 7) of the Confederacy? A) Ulysses S. Grant B) Alfred H. Terry C) Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing D) Nathaniel P. Banks 8) Based on the state and national electoral results in the 2014 and 2016 elections, one can 8) conclude that A) Texas will become a two-party state once again. B) Texas will continue to be a strong Republican state. C) Texas will become a more liberal state in the future. D) Texas will become a Democratic state once again. 9) "Battleground Texas" 9) A) is a Democrat political action committee launched in 2013. B) is a Republican political action committee launched in 2013. C) is a conservative political action committee launched in 2013. D) is a successful Democratic political action committee. 10) The most economically diversified region in Texas is the: 10) A) Central corridor B) Plains region C) Metroplex D) Border area 11) Which of the following statements about Spanish influence in Texas is FALSE? 11) A) Many rivers, features, and cities still have Spanish names B) Current landownership laws still reflect early Spanish legal systems C) The Spanish introduced horses, sheep, and cattle to Texas D) The Spanish introduced slavery to Texas 12) As Texas shifted from Democratic to Republican: 12) A) Its ideological landscape shifted liberal to conservative B) Its ideological landscape did not really change C) Its ideological landscape shifted from conservative to liberal D) Its ideological landscape shifted from liberal to libertarian 13) What is the main reason why early petitions by the Republic of Texas to join the United 13) States were rejected? A) The American government feared sparking a war with Spain. B) Texas was composed almost entirely of Catholic Spanish speakers. C) There was controversy over Texas becoming a slave state. D) Texas residents favored monarchy, not republicanism. 2 14) Today, what industry dominates the Texas economy, employing about 76 percent of the 14) private sector workforce? A) oil and petrochemical processing B) agriculture and cattle C) manufacturing and the high tech industry D) the service industry 15) Which of the following is NOT a reason that the Texas constitution limits government's 15) authority to act: A) Objections to the system imposed by the Reconstruction Constitution B) Deep-rooted southern beliefs in centralized government C) The traditionalistic/individualistic culture of the state D) Long-standing distrust that started while under Mexican rule 16) Which of the following is NOT a power of the Texas legislature? 16) A) propose constitutional amendments B) propose laws C) appoint judges D) oversight of state agencies 17) TABLE 2.1 Separation of Powers in Texas Government 17) The Legislature The Governor The Judiciary Propose and pass laws Limited appointment power of Interpret the law Power to propose some executive officials and Settle all disputes in constitutional amendments judges in cases of vacancies matters of criminal and civil law Power to tax and set the Submit budget proposal to Popularly elected budget legislature Oversight power of state Serve on boards; e.g., the agencies and departments Legislative Budget Board Impeachment power of Can call special sessions and judges and executive branch dictate special session agenda officials Veto and line-item veto power According to Table 2.1, what is one power that the Texas legislature enjoys? A) Oversight power B) Veto power C) Budget proposal D) Interpret the law 18) Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution contains this statement? "The powers not 18) delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." A) Ninth B) Tenth C) Eleventh D) Twelfth 3 19) Most countries in the world have a ________ form of government. 19) A) confederal B) federal C) unitary D) binary 20) The Spanish constitutions contributed what key element to the political climate of 20) Texas? A) limited government B) decentralization of decision making C) property rights for women D) decreased executive power 21) Why does the Texas Constitution create a fragmented executive branch? 21) A) a requirement established by the U.S. Congress in order for Texas to be readmitted to the Union B) to raise the status of the legislature C) poor writing that had the effect of fragmenting the executive, though this was not intended D) to limit the power of the governor 22) Article 1 of the Texas Constitution covers the 22) A) legislative department. B) executive department. C) Bill of Rights. D) powers of government. 23) Why are state constitutions amended more frequently than the U.S. Constitution? 23) A) The legislature can approve state constitutional amendments. B) The U.S. Constitution has built-in limits. C) Voter initiatives have a higher rate of approval than those amendments proposed by state legislatures. D) State constitutions deal with a wider range of functions. 24) The system that provides for a sharing of powers between the national government and 24) the state governments is known as A) federalism. B) separation of powers. C) unitarianism. D) confederation. 25) Which of the following is NOT among the characteristics shared by all state 25) constitutions? A) a fear of strong executive authority B) popular sovereignty C) the requirement that citizens approve any changes D) separation of powers 4 26) Constitutional reform in Texas is unlikely because: 26) A) Most citizens are suspicious of the lobby groups who are pushing for reform B) Having constitutional amendments on the ballot drives up voter turnout C) Amendments pass so rarely that change is not needed D) There is no support for reform among strong political forces 27) As of the 2010 census, there were about 811,147 constituents per state senate district in 27) Texas. What is the only state that had more constituents per senator? A) Florida B) California C) New York D) Massachusetts 28) Table 3.2 – Legislative Salaries in the 10 Most Populous States 28) State Base Salary, 2014 California $90,526 Texas $7,200 Florida $29,697 New York $79,500 Illinois $67,836 Pennsylvania $84,012 Ohio $60,584 Georgia $17,342 North Carolina $13,951 Michigan $71,685 Source: National Conference of State Legislatures. See http://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/2014-ncsl-legislator-salary-and-per- diem-table.aspx. Based on Table 3.2, how does a Texas legislator's salary compare to other populous states? A) Texas legislators are paid much more than other populous states B) Texas legislators are paid much less than other populous states C) Texas legislators are paid more than any other state D) Texas legislators are paid about the same as other populous states 5 29) Table 3.2 – Legislative Salaries in the 10 Most Populous States 29) State Base Salary, 2014 California $90,526 Texas $7,200 Florida $29,697 New York $79,500 Illinois $67,836 Pennsylvania $84,012 Ohio $60,584 Georgia $17,342 North Carolina $13,951 Michigan $71,685 Source: National Conference of State Legislatures. See http://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/2014-ncsl-legislator-salary-and-per-diem -table.aspx. Based on Table 3.2, what can be said about legislators in populous southern states (like Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina) compared to legislators in other populous states? A) Populous non-southern state legislators earn less than legislators in populous southern states B) Populous southern state legislators earn more than other populous states C) Populous southern state legislators earn less than legislators in populous non-southern states D) Populous southern state legislators earn about the same as other populous states 30) Who submits a recommended budget to the Texas legislature? 30) A) the Legislative Budget Board B) the governor's office of budget and management C) a standing committee in the house D) a standing committee in the senate 31) Which of the following statements about reapportionment is NOT accurate? 31) A) It may cause a state to gain or lose congressional representatives. B) It occurs every 10 years. C) It is based on the federal census. D) It redraws the congressional district boundaries within the state.