...The history of Texas dates back thousands of years with Native American and Indian tribes but the true evolutionary period for the state began in the early 1500s when the Spanish founded the so-called new land and began sending Spanish conquistadors to explore the region. Although they had discovered Texas in 1519 and claimed rule around that time, it was not until the late 1600s that Spaniards actually began to reside in Texas. Just as Spaniards began to settle in Texas, in 1685 a French explorer was searching for the mouth of the Mississippi river to establish a colony of nearly four hundred people when he accidentally landed in Texas and founded a colony near present day Victoria, Texas. This led to the French having control over Texas...
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...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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...Texas Constitution from Instilment to Present Texas originated their constitutional government with the Mexican Constitution in 1824. Although the constitution was patterned after the United States Constitution it look like the 1812 Spanish Constitution more. There have been several revisions to the Texas Constitution and it grew stronger with each one. The United States Constitution was implemented with freedom of religion but with the Texas Constitution the state faith was documented as Catholic. Having a state faith was considered a break in the norm for states at that time but Texas has always stood apart. Stephen F. Austin met with the Mexican leaders to construct the 1824 Constitution and Juan Jose Maria Erasmo Seguin represented Texas at the meeting. This constitution would combine the two Spanish provinces of Texas and Coahuila. At that time the Anglo-Americans were not represented and the Constitution was not voted on by the people for approval. Since it was written in Spanish many of the Anglo-Texans didn’t understand it but that wasn’t required to receive the benefits. Some of the benefits included not serving in the Mexican army and not paying taxes. The Constitution was finally approved in 1827. By 1836 Texas and gained its independence from Mexico and the Constitution of 1824 was not in effect. Texas had become a republic and was building the framework for a lasting statehood in the Union. However this constitution was written quickly and approved...
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...The U.S. Constitution was written in 1787. It went into effect on May 4, 1789, when it was ratified by 9 of the 13 original states. By 1791 the other four original states had ratified the Constitution. The Constitution was a progressive document. A country had never before placed such limits on government and allowed such broad guarantees of freedom for its people. The U.S. Constitution divides the federal government into three branches. These branches are the legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch has two houses, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. The executive branch is the president and his or her cabinet and staff. The executive branch also includes the staff of all of the government departments and agencies....
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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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...The general topic of Chapter 2 is explaining the function of constitutions, the Texas Declaration of Independence, and the evolution of Texas constitutions from 1836 to modern times, including the amendment process. A constitution establishes a government’s principles, powers, and responsibilities, includes a Bill of Rights, and is based on social contract theory, which outlines the agreement between the government and the people. Texas constitutions are committed to individual rights and the separation of powers among the branches. The root of the rebellion came under President Santa Anna's dictatorship. The Mexican Constitution of 1824 initially offered greater liberties, but did not last. The Law of April 6, 1830, which limited immigration...
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...Even though one can easily claim the writing of the Texas Constitution was part of the backlash against Reconstruction, such thoughts are the simple and excessive application (Harrington 5). As an alternative, one can accurately say the current constitution of Texas in primarily an attempt of imposing conservative values on the state government (Ericson 7). For this reason, the present constitution of Texas aims at replicating the provisions of constitutions of pre-Civil War that had nothing to do with reconstruction or slavery. Evidence in the Texas Constitution Plainly, one of the best ideas for this argument that the constitution of Texas is a backlash against reconstruction is found in the Bill of Rights (Cornyn 4). Note that the Bill is included in the constitution. In the beginning, the Bill of Rights explains the statements that Texas is a state that is independent. For this reason, Texas is subject only to the United States Constitution. In other words, such a statement aims at implying that the Congress has no power to tell the state what to do. Precisely...
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...Constitution and Systems of the State Paper 2Texas Constitution vs. U.S. Constitution the Constitution was created by the founding fathers for two purposes. The Constitution is to establish a federal government for the United States and to delegate limited powers to the federal government. Serving as basic principles of government for the nation, the Constitution implies laws, customs and institutions within one single document. The U.S. Constitution was completed on September 17, 1789 (University of Texas Austin, 2009). A simple way to describe the Constitution is to recognize it as the states being the boss of the federal government. Just as manager is hired to oversee and ensure that the rules and regulations of a company or business are followed, the responsibility of the Constitution is the same. Many states have individual Constitutions that mirror the U.S. Constitution. The Texas Constitution is very similar to that of the United States by establishing the basic laws under that of which its citizens are administered. The Constitution used today was first adopted in 1876. The Constitution has been amended 439 times and consists of 17 amendments. A closer view of the Texas Constitution reveals the main articles of the state. In additional, the relationship between the U.S. Constitution and the state of Texas Constitution is compared. Next is an analysis of services the judicial, education and social systems provide. Finally, an analysis of the system effectiveness is made...
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...The Texas Constitution 1 Why the Texas Constitution Matters • The Texas Constitution is the legal framework within which the government works • Rights guaranteed in the Texas Constitution go beyond those of the U.S. Constitution • The length and detail of the Texas Constitution make the amendment process central to the political process 2 The Role of a State Constitution • State constitutions perform a number of important functions – Establish political institutions and explain the source of their power and authority – Delegate powers to particular institutions and individuals and define how they are to be used – Protect against the concentration of political power in one institution or individual – Define the limits of political power 3 The Role of a State Constitution: Influence of U.S. Constitution • Texas’s constitution is heavily influenced by the U.S. Constitution – Political power is derived from the people – Both constitutions feature a separation of powers • Legislative, executive, and judicial branches – A system of checks and balances limits the powers of each branch, as a way to protect against tyranny – Certain individual rights must not be violated 4 The Role of a State Constitution: How U.S. Constitution Is Different • The idea of federalism is also embodied in the constitutions of the U.S. and Texas • Important differences distinguish the two – Supremacy clause: the U.S. Constitution and federal laws...
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...Lia Ballard Texas Government Prof. Eck Question 1 Constitutional government began in Texas under Mexican rule. During the Texas Revolution, delegates met for the Convention of 1836 to hastily draft a new constitution for the fledgling Republic of Texas. Faced with the threat of imminent Mexican attack, they incorporated large sections of the United States Constitution along with some Mexican law this constitution was put in place to survive the Mexican assault on Texas while still under Mexican control. This constitution was a compromise of the United States beliefs of freedom with Mexico’s ideals of having Texas land under its control instead of the United States’. The constitution was also a way to break away from Mexico while still technically under its government. Nine years later, Texas was able to take more care when drafting its first state constitution because of the Mexican defeat. Adopted just before annexation, the Constitution of 1845 set forth Texas law in a simple and straightforward manner. Constitutional scholars consider it to have been one of the best state constitutions in the country at the time of state constitutions being birthed. In 1861, when Texas seceded from the Union, this constitution was amended to transfer Texas statehood from the United States of America to the Confederacy. After many years and many rewrites of the Constitution, the Constitution of 1876 was created and is still in place. A convention was called in 1875 after a failed attempt...
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...According to Texas Federalism is defined as a system of government where power is divided by a constitution, between local government and federal government. Under this rationale of governing, power and authority are designated such that each unit (state and federal) has exclusive authorities only it can exercise while other powers are required to be shared. Though Texas has its own constitution separate from that of United States, the supremacy clause prevents the Texas constitution from over ruling the US constitution and its laws. As the supremacy clause is defined in Article IV, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, it is the supreme law of the land and shall prevail over any conflicting state laws or as it relates to Texas any state issued constitutions. With over 93,000 words, 16 articles, 474 amendments resulting in 6 total constitutions, no other state within the US is structured and run so similarly to that of the US government. For example Texas has a clearly defined separation of power where no one branch of government shall be attached to either of the other branches (with the exception of the lieutenant governors role in the Senate. In 1866 after the civil war Texas was back in the Union and many actions were taken to bring the state into compliance with President Johnsons’ policy of reconstruction. At this time Texas did not adopt the 13th amendment that abolished slavery. In 1869, Under the Congressional Reconstruction Act of 1867, the US Constitution was declared...
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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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...2306: Texas Government Review Sheet for Exam 1 ------------------------------------------------- Spring 2016 The purpose of this review sheet for Exam 1 is to provide you with guidance over key terms and concepts. Please note that some of the terms may or may not appear on the exam. In addition, this review sheet is not exhaustive-some concepts and terms not appearing herein may appear on the exam. Chapter 1: Texas Culture and Diversity * Political Culture (definition) * Political Ideology (definition and types, which ideology dominates Texas?) * Conservative * Liberal * Political subcultures (definition, which type(s) do we see in Texas? give examples of policies each type would support) * Moralistic * Individualistic * Traditionalistic * Partisanship * Minnie Fisher Cunningham and the Woman’s Suffrage Movement * The 19th Amendment * Marital Property Act * White Primary * Ku Klux Klan (KKK) * NAACP * LULAC * Smith v. Allwright (1944) * Sweatt v. Painter (1950) * Brown v. Board of Education (1954) * Separate-but-equal doctrine (Plessy v. Ferguson) * United States v. Texas (1970) * Hector Garcia and the American GI Forum * Hernandez v. Texas (1954) * Hernandez v. Driscoll CISD (1957) * Lawrence v. Texas (2003) * The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) * Cultural diversity in Texas and its impact on Texas’s future (demographics, ethnic groups in Texas, important...
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...within its boundary. Debra Medina Claimed that Texas has the power to nullify federal acts deemed unconstitutional. She believes that Texas has the right to invalidate any federal Law the citizen view as unacceptable. In 1798, Thomas Jefferson started the first Nullification in history which was the Kentucky Resolution. He believed that Government does not have the right to Impose it will upon the people without their consent. If the people decide they do not give the government consent, then such will is nullified. Debra Medina based her claim on the 10th Amendment which states that “the powers not 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”, and before the civil war. She argued that the overall power rested with the state of Texas, so base on the 10th amendment Texas state has the power to get representative in congress and pass a bill to nullify any Law passed by congress that is viewed as unconstitutional. In her claim of Nullification, it means that the state of Texas can do what the Supreme Court can do. Nullification is seen as the means of the State to check the power of the Federal government. Medina being a member of Tea party says she would assert Texas Sovereignty by rejecting federal actions on Health care, Gun control, Border security, property Tax and also opposes to abortion. She endorsed a proposed Texas Law making it a crime for any official, agent or...
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...The judiciary is a government branch responsible for interpreting the constitution. Strict constructionists and judicial activism are two sides of the same body that guide a judge in the decision making of court cases. Strict construction is defined as the interpretation of the law while basing the argument on the narrow and literal meaning of the law. It does not make exceptions for the difference in times of writing the constitution and conditions experienced today, changes in the society and innovations. Judicial activism, on the other hand, considers what the language of the policy maker intended to capture from an extended point of view to consider the societal complexity and current standards of conduct for humans (Pandey, 2012). The strict constructionist limits the judicial discretion, restricting judges in determining legal cases and especially those outlined in the Constitution. Their discretion is only allowed when the decision is necessary for resolving a substantial dispute between antagonizing parties. It expects judges faced with constitutional questions to allow substantive deference to ideas argued by elected branches and restrain their actions only when there are clear violations of the constitutional limits (Mark, 2012). The concept controls the court to interpret laws and take part in policy-making. Judges are expected to pass...
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