Exam Name___________________________________ MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. 1) In terms of the number of Texans living in urban and rural locales, what is the trend that 1) can be seen based on U.S. Census Bureau data? A) Texas is becoming more urban. B) The Census Bureau does not track this information. C) Texas is stable in terms of its urban vs. rural population. D) Texas is becoming more rural. 2) Based on the number of seats award to Texas after the 2010 Census, what can be 2) concluded about population change in Texas? A) Texas will continue to grow for the next two decades. B) Texas has grown more than other states from 2000-2010. C) Texas has not grown from 2000-2010. D) Texas has grown less than other states from 2000-2010. 3) What was the primary use of land in Texas from the 1820s to the 1860s? 3) A) cotton B) oil C) cattle D) Land use in the period was about equally divided among these three. 4) From 2008-2012, Texas's unemployment rate 4) A) was about the national average. B) was the highest in the nation. C) was lower than the national average. D) was among the highest in the nation. 5) Polls show that a Texan is MOST likely to identify as a(n) 5) A) liberal. B) moderate. C) conservative. D) independent. 6) The war that led to the declaration of the Republic of Texas began 6) A) within months of the arrival of the first American settlers. B) when the Spanish government imposed restrictions on American settlers. C) in 1835. D) with the battle at the Alamo. 1 7) Which region of the state is known primarily for its production of citrus fruits and 7) vegetables? A) Gulf Coast region B) Border area C) Central Corridor D) Plains region 8) Which constitution was pejoratively known as the "carpetbagger's constitution"? 8) A) Republic of Texas Constitution B) U.S. Constitution C) Reconstruction constitution D) Republic of Mexico's constitution 9) Constitutional reform in Texas is unlikely because: 9) A) Most citizens are suspicious of the lobby groups who are pushing for reform B) Amendments pass so rarely that change is not needed C) There is no support for reform among strong political forces D) Having constitutional amendments on the ballot drives up voter turnout 10) The notion that all individuals possess inalienable rights and willingly submit to 10) government to protect those rights is embodied in A) social contract theory. B) popular sovereignty. C) the traditionalistic subculture. D) the individualistic subculture. 11) Which of the following methods of amending and revising the constitution are NOT 11) used in Texas? A) Legislative proposal B) Constitutional commission C) Initiative D) Constitutional convention 12) Discussion of the legislative department is in Article ________ of the Texas 12) Constitution. A) 2 B) 3 C) 4 D) 5 13) By what authority did the U.S. Congress create a national bank in 1790? 13) A) Necessary and Proper Clause B) Article 8 of the U.S. Constitution C) U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Marbury v. Madison D) Interstate Commerce Clause 14) Because of high levels of controversy surrounding redistricting, about a dozen states use 14) this method of redistricting: A) having citizens vote among competing redistricting plans. B) state boards appointed by the governor. C) committees composed of equal numbers of Senate Democrats and Republicans. D) independent commissions. 2 15) Redistricting is 15) A) carefully controlled by a commission of the United States Congress. B) the process of redrawing district boundaries. C) the process of allocating U.S. senators to districts. D) drawing district boundary lines for political advantage. 16) The Lieutenant Governor: 16) A) Votes on all matters before the Texas House and Senate B) Controls the agenda of the Texas House C) Is largely just a figurehead D) Does not have to be from the same party that controls the Texas Senate 17) Multimember districts promote majority representation or domination, and 17) single-member districts can promote ________ representation. A) equal B) republican C) democratic D) geographical 18) About one third of the Texas legislature is composed of 18) A) women. B) Hispanics. C) lawyers. D) blue collar workers. 19) Why is the Texas governor's power exceptionally weak as compared to that of the 19) governors of some other states? A) lack of a line-item veto B) tenure limits C) plural executive system D) inability to appoint any administrative heads 20) A former governor would be most likely to hold which of the following jobs? 20) A) U.S. Senator B) Vice President of the U.S. C) Secretary of Education D) Business executive 3 21) Map 4.1 - Women Governors 21) According to Map 4.1, which of the following states has NOT had a woman governor? A) Georgia B) Texas C) New Hampshire D) South Carolina 22) In Texas the trend in recent years has been to expand the staff of the governor's office. 22) Who was the first Texas governor to use a professional staff of advisors? A) Dolph Briscoe B) John Connally C) George W. Bush D) Bill Clements 23) Cases heard in trial de novo courts can be appealed 23) A) for any reason. B) only based on matters of procedure. C) if one party is a minor. D) two times only. 24) How many elections must a judge win prior to being seated on the bench under the 24) Texas partisan election system? A) 0 B) 1 C) 2 D) 3 4 25) Most voters go to the election booth with scant knowledge about the qualifications of 25) judicial candidates, and they often end up voting A) by name familiarity. B) on advice from a trusted family friend. C) for the first name in a list of candidates. D) only on issues that they are familiar with, skipping the judicial candidates. 26) The merit system used to identify and select judges is also known as 26) A) the Missouri system. B) retention election. C) the gubernatorial appointment system. D) the partisan election system. 27) All of the following are at-large election systems EXCEPT 27) A) at-large multiple places. B) at-large by place. C) at-large no place. D) at-large by place with residence wards required. 28) Bexar County, Texas, is an example of which category of local government? 28) A) general-purpose B) multi-jurisdictional C) limited-purpose D) special-purpose 29) Which of the following is an example of a general-purpose government in Texas? 29) A) Special district B) County C) School district D) City 30) In a recent survey of Texas adults, approximately ________ of respondents reported 30) encouraging others to vote for a particular candidate. A) one-quarter B) three-quarters C) half D) None of these answers is correct. 31) In what decade was the poll tax abolished in Texas? 31) A) 1920s B) 1960s C) 1890s D) 1940s 32) Of the following, which are NOT considered part of the voting population using VAP? 32) A) minors B) convicted felons C) citizens D) noncitizens 5 33) Minority groups in Texas: 33) A) Are primarily concentrated in rural areas B) Have no influence on politics and policy decisions C) Are shrinking due to an influx of whites in other states D) Outnumber non-Hispanic whites 34) Approximately how long did one-party Democratic rule last in Texas? 34) A) 100 years B) 50 years C) 10 years D) 150 years 35) Why are state constitutions amended more frequently than the U.S. Constitution? 35) A) State constitutions deal with a wider range of functions. B) The legislature can approve state constitutional amendments. C) Voter initiatives have a higher rate of approval than those amendments proposed by state legislatures. D) The U.S. Constitution has built-in limits. 36) Which of the following aspects of the process of amending the state constitution 36) contributes to low voter turnout? A) low interest in the issues B) odd-year elections C) confusing ballot wording D) All of these answers are correct. 37) A state senator that usually considers all the options and then chooses the one he or she 37) believes is the best is demonstrating the ________ representational role. A) traditional B) trustee C) delegate D) moral 38) Which of the following is NOT among the powers of the speaker of the house in the 38) Texas House of Representatives? A) appoints all members of standing committees B) appoints members to calendar committee C) committee chair appointment D) bill referral to committees 39) Texas is an example of a plural executive system because: 39) A) The governor appoints the lieutenant governor B) The governor also presides over the State House of Representatives C) Power is divided among several elected officials D) There are two governors 6 40) The Texas Government Code allows jurisdictions to draw upon which source(s) for jury 40) selection? A) licensed drivers only B) both registered voters and licensed drivers C) jury pool volunteers only D) registered voters only 41) If you selected any city in Texas at random, what governmental form would you 41) LEAST likely find? A) strong mayor-council B) council-manager C) weak mayor-council D) commission 42) With the growth of the Internet, what has become one of the easiest ways to participate 42) in politics? A) attending rallies B) voting C) making financial contributions D) signing paper petitions 43) John believes that government's primary purpose is to defend the country and build 43) roads.