...Texas first Constitution, which was established in 1836, was called the Republic of Texas. The present constitution is called the State of Texas and was established in 1876. Texas Constitution changed five times in between that time. The current Texas Constitution has sixteen articles such as article II, the powers of government, article VII, education, and article XVI, general provisions. Some of these articles have cut the powers of government, limited the governor’s term to two years, added a debt ceiling of $200,000, and set fixed salaries for state officials. Details about policies and avoiding abuse of government powers included into the new constitution made the document long and disorganized. So what exactly is a constitution? A constitution is the basic law of a...
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...Assignment 1 3 Short Answers: 1. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of our current Texas Constitution. The strengths of the of our current Texas Constitution include a weaker state government which leaves fewer chances of politicians abusing their power, it puts limits on taxing spending and borrowing which has helped to keep spending under control less taxes for Texans and no state deficit, and it creates a stronger local government. The weaknesses of the Texas Constitution include a lack of leadership over the executive branch, a weak Governor, difficulties for legislators to do their jobs due to many restrictions, it is inflexible with today and the future, it is too detailed, and it is too restrictive and poorly written. 2. Identify and discuss the make-up and functions of the County Commissioners Court. The County Commissioners Court’s members are made up of four elected commissioners for a specific precinct and a county judge. The county judge is the presiding county officer ad completes administrative and judicial functions. Every ten years the counties must redistrict. Some of the functions of the County Commissioners Court includes adopting the county budget, setting tax rates, providing a court house, providing jails and other county buildings, administering county health and welfare programs, and maintaining roads and bridges. 3. Compare and contrast the Strong Mayor and Council Manager forms of local government. The Strong...
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...Revolution Essay I think that Texas did have a right to begin a revolution against Mexico. The Mexican officials and land commissioners didn’t stay true to their promises (laws). The first Mexican official we learned about was Haden Edwards. He was a Kentucky businessman who enraged many settlers in Texas when he threatened to sell the land of the settlers who didn’t have a land title, even if their family had been living on the land for years. After his contract was canceled by the Mexican government, Benjamin Edwards (his brother) started the Fredonian Rebellion. The huge amount of interest in the revolt worried the Mexican government, so they decided to send Mier y Teran to Texas so he could investigate conditions there, find out how much control Mexico had, and to give recommendations about how to change the conditions. His recommendations to the president convinced the Mexican government to pass the Law of April 6, 1830, which changed rules on immigration and trade in Texas. Instead of strengthening Mexico’s control, the Law of April 6, 1830 angered many settlers who wanted their family and friends to move to Texas and who feared the restrictions would hurt the economy. Francisco Madero approved land titles for settlers in the Anahuac settlement until Bradburn arrested him; saying that Madero was working illegally (according to the Decree of April 6, 1830), which angered many Texans. George Fisher, a customs official, demanded that all ships landing in Texas pay their...
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...Blvd. Irving, Texas 75038-3899 DALLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT COURSE SYLLABUS GOVERNMENT 2306 (ONLINE) SPRING 2015 LIBERAL ARTS Office Location A310 Phone # 972.273.3480 Call the office for hours of operation Instructor Information: Professor: Sharon A. Manna, Ph.D. Email: smanna@dcccd.edu [pic]On Twitter: @ProfessorManna Office Hours: by appointment Course Information Course title: Texas Government Course number: GOVT2306 Section number: -73432/93448 Credit hours: 3 Class meeting time: [online] Course description: GOVT 2306 Texas Government (Texas Constitution and Topics) Origin and development of the Texas Constitution, structure and powers of state and local government, federalism and inter-governmental relations, political participation, the election process, public policy, and the political culture of Texas Course prerequisites: TSI reading & writing (1) Required or Recommended Textbooks and Materials Gibson, Tucker, al al. Government and Politics in the Lone Star State, 8/e ISBN: 9780205927067. [See our eCampus page for text options] Supplemental Reading: Be sure to read newspapers and/or newsmagazines and be prepared to discuss current events. The best way to learn about what can sometimes be dry concepts is to see them at work in real time examples. (2) Units of Instruction/Tentative Calendar: Our course is divided into three (3) units: the setting and constitutional origins of Texas government; institutions of Texas government, and...
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...GOVT 2301 American Government: National, State, and Local I HCCS Southwest College Spring 2012 Sections: CRN 81371, 81372 Campus: Stafford Professor: Larry J. Gonzalez, PhD Room: W114 E-mail: Larry.Gonzalez@hccs.edu Voice: 713.718.6998 Purpose of the Course: Government 2301 is one of two courses designed to introduce students to the study of government in the United States at the national, state, and local levels. This particular survey of the American system of government includes a study of the fundamental principles of political science, the study of the national and state constitutions, methods of participation, and analyzes contemporary policies. This course is fully transferable to all Texas State colleges and universities. Required Texts: O’Connor, Karen, Larry J. Sabato, Alixandra. 2011. American Government: Roots and Reform, Texas Edition. Pearson Education. Paperback Edition/ISBN-13: 978-1-256-28850-3; ISBN-10:1-256-28850-0 Recommended: Study Guides are available on-line to accompany the required texts. Students are also encouraged to follow current political events by reading newspapers and following media news reports. Please refer to instructor’s Learning Web page. Student Notification Statements: 1. Advising and Counseling Services Advising can be accomplished by contacting the Student Associate at 713-718-6879, selection 2, and on-site advising at other HCC locations upon request. Confidential sessions with education counselors...
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...Bryan McIntosh 2/12/2012 UST 600 Federalist Paper # 46 Federalist Paper 46 was written by James Madison. It was published on January 29, 1788. The essay examines the strength of the state and federal governments under the proposed United States Constitution. It is titled, "The Influence of the State and Federal Governments Compared." James Madison argues that States and the Federal Government are different but should collaborate with unified goals and powers. Madison realized that the people will be loyal to their states and possibly rebel against the central government if pushed to do so. He realized the federal government had to be sensitive to the people’s rights. Not to go down the European path they fled once upon a time. ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION: * Before the Articles of Confederation States had too much power over the federal government. * States had the power to create own currency * Form their own militias * Regulate their own trade CONSTITUTION: * The purpose of the original union of 13 colonies was to protect themselves from outside attacks. * The constitution was created to not limit states right but to them to reasoning that can better benefit the union. * The powers granted to the federal government are few and specific and will be exercised towards external parties. Powers granted to the states are many and general and focused solely on internal affairs. The federal government will be the most important in times...
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...This always the judiciary The US constitution is no longer fit for purpose The Constitution was made after the first 13 colonies separated seeking independence and declaring themselves an independent nation. The constitution was created by the 4 founding fathers and includes articles which state the duties of the three main parts of government: the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, and the Judicial Branch. The articles also talk about the separate powers of the Federal and State government, and how to change the Constitution. In 1789 the Bill of rights were proposed and ratified in 1791. In this essay I will discuss whether the constitution is no longer fit for purpose. Another significant point to show the constitution is still fit for purpose is it protects the rights and freedoms of Americans. The 1st amendment guarantees the most basic and fundamental rights, freedom of religion, speech, press and assembly. An example of this is in Texas V Johnson where the meaning of freedom of speech was extended. As the Supreme Court held Johnson not guilty, this protected his rights. However The Supreme court was only able to interpret the constitution differently because it is very vague. This shows that the constitution has loop holes and therefore is not fit for purpose. Another significant point to show the constitution is still fit for purpose is federalism has proved to be an excellent compromise between strong national government and state government diversity. This...
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...APUSH Study Guide 8 A weak Confederacy and the Constitution, 1776-1790 Themes/Constructs: The federal Constitution represented a moderately conservative reaction against the democratilizing effects of the Revolution and the Articles of Confederation. The American Revolution was not a radical transformation like the French or Russian revolutions, but it produced political innovations and some social change in the direction of greater equality and democracy. The American Revolution did not overturn the social order, but it did produce substantial changes in social customs, political institutions, and ideas about society and government. Among the changes were the separation of church and state in some places, the abolition of slavery in the North, written political constitutions, and a shift in political power from the eastern seaboard toward the frontier. The first weak government, the Articles of Confederation, was unable to exercise real authority, although it did successfully deal with the western lands issue. The Confederation’s weakness in handling foreign policy, commerce and the Shays Rebellion spurred the movement to alter the Articles. Instead of revising the Articles, the well-off delegates to the Constitutional Convention created a charter for a whole new government. In a series of compromises, the convention produced a plan that provided for a vigorous central government, a strong executive, the protection for property, while still upholding republican...
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...Historical Timeline and Essay Michael Meisenheimer AAGN10AA62 December 11, 2011 Kelly Cantrell Historical Timeline and Essay Timeline 1793 Eli Whitney Invents the Modern Cotton Gin Slavery was becoming less and less profitable in the South prior to 1793. One reason was because cotton was not a profitable crop for farmers because preparing it for sale was so labor intensive. Eli Whitney's cotton gin turned cotton into a profitable crop and raised the demand of slaves in the South to grow it. This coincided with the North becoming a more industrialized region that didn't need to depend on slaves. 1819 Missouri Compromise The Missouri Compromise was brokered by Senator Henry Clay to settle the dispute between the North and the South about if the Western territories would be slave or free. Under the terms of the Compromise, slavery would only be allowed in Missouri and south of the 36th parallel. The need for the Missouri Compromise illustrates how the North and the South were beginning to hold very different views on how allowable slavery was to the nation. Bitter feelings about the compromise persisted in both the North and the South. 1828 The Nullification Crisis The Nullification Crisis grew out of a protective tariff of 1828. The tariff was popular with the Northern states, because it provided protection for American made goods. Southern states traded heavily with Great Britain during this time, and felt it would damage their economies. With the support...
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...sought to terminate her pregnancy however, she was unable to do so because in her home state of Dallas, Texas, abortion was illegal with the exception of extreme cases of medical necessity, not applicable to her. McCorvey, using the name “Jane Roe” as an alias, filed suit at the district level against Henry Wade, the District Attorney for Dallas County, Texas, challenging the constitutionality of the Texas state laws prohibiting abortions and seeking an injunction against its enforcement, (in other words, the Appellant asked the court to forbid the district attorney from prosecuting anyone else under the Texas abortion law in the future). The district court ruled in favor of McCorvey, but ultimately failed to resolve the matter in a practical sense by refusing to issue an injunction to prevent the existing legislation from being enforced. Due to the district court’s refusal to enjoin future prosecutions for abortion, Roe and her attorneys appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court and the case was granted certiorari. By the time the case reached the Supreme Court, however, McCorvey had already given birth, but the Court entertained the case anyway, reasoning that if the traditional standards of mootness and the exclusion of advisory opinions were upheld, no pregnant Plaintiff could ever successfully litigate a similar claim before being precluded by mootness. Issues Presented: Do the Texas statutes improperly invade a right possessed by the Appellant, Jane Roe to terminate her pregnancy...
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...Who is gail borden? I have learned that he was an amazing man. Gail borden was born November 9, 1801 in Norwich, New york he had a very productive life before he past away on January 11, 1874 at the age of 72 in Borden ,Colorado. Gail borden was a third generation in his family. His family moved to Nashville Tennessee where his mom died at age of 48. His family moved twice when they went to Indiana in 1816 and in 1817 he learned surveying. In 1822 he moved to Mississippi where he became a county surveyor and a school teacher for Bates and Zion Hill. He married his wife in 1828 and had six kids. He moved his family to Texas in 1829 . Where he started surveying again. Gail borden plotted our towns of Houston and Galveston, he even did the...
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...“Revolution in Texas” Texas has had a long history of conflict, revolution, animosity, and racial skirmishes. Once occupied by a vast majority of Mexicans, Texas was first claimed by the Spanish, and later declared its own independence in 1836, seceding from Mexico to become the Republic of Texas. This newfound independence was short-lived however, in 1845, the United States government decided to annex Texas in order to create a new state for the growing country. Although at the time Texas’s population was still dominated by Mexicans, slowly whites began to migrate to Texas to take advantage of fertile, cheap land, perfect for ranching and agriculture. This growing number of whites brought many problems among the native Mexican people; these will later be explored in this essay. Mexico did not take well to Texas’s secession and the United State’s recent annexation; consequently they saw the state as a rebel territory. From 1846 to 1848, the Mexican/American war was fought; ultimately, the United States won, but it did not put a stop to the localized conflicts and battles still being fought between Mexicans and the immigrating whites. Ben Johnson, author of Revolution in Texas, explores the revolution following the conclusion of the Mexican/American war. Johnson speaks of a different revolution, separate from the original war, a revolution that was fueled by racial, land, cultural, and border disputes. When the railroad finally reached Texas in 1904, this sparked a massive...
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...CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE United States Bill of Rights ______________________________________________________________________________ Fundamentals of Criminal Law CJSA 1327 Week 1 Essay #3 Not too long ago our nation was young, new, and in need of structure and in need of a government. To solve this issue, the United States Constitution was drafted and implemented across the territories. After the constitution was created, there was immediate pressure from anti-federalists who opposed constitutional ratification. This then gave birth to the Bill of Rights, which was to set limits on the government’s actions in regard to personal liberties. The Bill of rights is a collective name for the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution. It was introduced by James Madison before the 1st United States Congress and then proposed to congress in September 25, 1789. The amendments were ratified on December 15, 1791 by congress. There originally were twelve amendments proposed, but only ten amendments made the final cut. Over time, amendments had been added totaling twenty-seven. The 10 amendments guaranteed a list of personal freedoms, reserving some powers to the states and public. They also put a limit to the government’s power in judicial and any other proceedings. The 10 original amendments are (1st) Freedom of speech, religion, and right to petition, (2nd) Right to bear arms, (3rd) Protection against quartering troops, (4th) Protection against unreasonable search...
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...HIUS 221 Exam 3 Review Sheet: This exam will be a combination of multiple choice, true or false, and matching questions. There will also be a couple of essay questions. For best results in preparing for the upcoming exam, focus your studies on the following historical items, events and individuals. Your textbook may help with some of the things listed, but this exam is more so drawn from class lectures and power point presentations. Embargo of 1807-Britian and France imposed trade restriction in order to weaken each other’s economies. Resulting in testing the Americas Neutrality and hurting their trading. Jefferson passed this document restricting neutral trade to the U.S. docs Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists (1780). Stronger central government, state representation from states each 2 representatives, no Bill of Rights, Articles of Confederation useless, because states had more power, wanted larger public, and they believed in large farming and industrialization,.. antif federalist, wanted state rights, wanted add the House of Represeantives, Bill of Rights, they thought the aritcles needed to be ratified not taken away completely, smaller public, believed Americas future is small farming Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans (1790s) – Hamiltonians (known as federalist party) vs. the Jeffersonians (Democratic Party) Differences between Federalist stances (1780s) vs. Federalist Party stances (1790s)- Federalist of 1780-Stronger central government, state representation...
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...branches of government and their entities. U.S. Constitution 1. Legislative 2. Legislative 3. Judicial 3. Judicial 2. Executive 2. Executive | 6. Supreme Court 6. Supreme Court 5. President 5. President 4. Congress 4. Congress | 9. Vice President 9. Vice President | House of Representatives House of Representatives 8. Senate 8. Senate | True or False 1. The Tenth Amendment limits the power of states. FALSE 2. The Constitution signed in 1787 contained the Bill of Rights. FALSE 3. The Constitution created a system of dual sovereignty, meaning the federal government has exclusive power in interstate commerce. True 4. The president and vice president are part of the legislative branch. FALSE 5. Congress can impose federal mandates, which require the state government to comply with its orders. True or False Multiple Choice 6. The concept of dual federalism D: viewed federal and state power as fixed d. The Bill of Rights is C: the first 10 amendments to the Constitution e. The legislative branch is composed of which of the following: a. The House of Representatives and Senate f. The First Amendment of the Constitution regards which of the following: D: Freedom...
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