Ch. 28-Texas Government-Guided Reading

A History of Texas Constitutions Constitution Reason for New Constitution 1. Constitution of 1824 Mexico became independent from Spain 2. Constitution of 1827 Texas became part of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas. 3. Constitution of 1836 Texas won its independence from Mexico

Constitution Reason for New Constitution 4. Constitution of 1845 Texas became part of the United States 5. Constitution of 1861 After the start of the Civil War, Texas joined the Confederate States of America 6. Constitution of 1866 When the Civil War ended, Texas needed a constitution that aligned with the U.S. Constitution

Constitution Reason for New Constitution 7. Constitution of 1869 The Republican Party, the party in power, wanted a revised constitution that reflected its views. 8. Constitution of 1876 Texas voters chose delegates for a new constitutional convention to write a new constitution. It was approved in 1876.

The Texas Constitution Today 1. True – Popular sovereignty means that the people have the right to decide what kind of government they want. 2. False; In a republican form of government, the people choose the government officials who represent them. 3. False; The constitutional principle of limited government ensures that government powers are limited.

4. False; In a federal system, certain powers belong to the national government and others belong to the states. 5. True-The state government is divided into three separate branches. 6. True-The system of checks and balances ensures that no single branch of government can become too powerful.

7. True-The Texas Constitution reflects the principle of individual rights. 8. False; The Bill of Rights protects the fundamental freedoms of Texans. 9. False; The Texas Constitution protects the right of citizens to bear arms.

10. False; The Texas Constitution requires that two-thirds of both houses of the legislature vote in favor of a proposed amendment. 11. True-To amend the Texas Constitution, a majority of voters must vote in favor of the new government.

Lesson 2-Texas State Government The Legislative Branch 1. The three branches of the Texas state government are legislative, executive, judicial 2. The two houses of the Texas legislature are the Senate and the House of Representatives. 3. Each member of the legislature represents a district.

4. A term for a member of the Texas Senate is four years. 5. The presiding officer of the Texas House of Representative is called the Speaker of the House. 6. The legislative committee can kill a bill by not approving it for discussion in the House or Senate.

7. According to the Texas Constitution, the legislature is the only part of the government that can propose and approve bills. 8. The yearly plan for revenue and spending is called the budget. 9. Once both houses of the legislature approves a bill it goes to the governor. 10.If the governor vetoes a bill, the bill can become a law if two-thirds of the members in each house vote to approve it again.

The Executive Branch 1. False; The governor of Texas is the chief executive of the state. 2. True-The governor has veto power over bills passed by the legislature. 3. True-The governor has a line-item veto over spending bills.

4. False; The governor is the commander-in-chief of the Texas National Guard. 5. False; The governor and lieutenant governor of Texas are elected separately. 6. False; The secretary of state is nominated by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.

7. True-The State Board of Education set policies for the state’s public education system. 8. True-The Railroad Commission regulates railroads, trucks, and buses in Texas.

The Judicial Branch The function of the judicial branch of government is to interpret the laws and ensure that justice is applied to all citizens. The justice system covers two types of law: criminal law and civil law. There are two types of crimes. A felony is a serious crime, and a misdemeanor is a lesser crime. Texas has two types of courts. Trial courts hold trials to decide civil or criminal cases. The courts that review trial cases are appeal.

Texas has three levels of trial courts—municipal and justice of the peace courts, county courts, and district courts. Appeals can reach the two highest courts— the Courts of Criminal Appeals for criminal cases and the Supreme Court of Texas for civil or juvenile cases. In 2011 Texas created a new state Department of Juvenile Justice, which handles crimes committed by people ages 10 to 17. Cases that go to trial may be decided by a jury or by a judge. Many cases are settled without a trial.

Government Revenue and Spending Sources of Revenue Description 1. sales tax The largest source of state- controlled revenue. 2. special taxes Taxes imposed on the purchase of certain products such as fuel, tobacco products, and motor vehicles. 3. fees Charges for the use of particular services.

Sources of Revenue Description 4. federal government Revenue from federal taxpayers. 5. bonds Loans to the government by people who buy these.

State agencies and the governor send in requests for funding. The Legislative Budget Board (LBB) prepares the budget. The comptroller of public accounts review the budget and certifies that it is balanced. The governor signs the appropriations bill.

Lesson 3-Types of Local Government Type of Government or Local Description Government Official 1. Municipal government Government of cities or towns 2. Home-rule cities Cities that write their own charters 3. General law cities Cities that do not write their own charters

Type of Government or Local Description Government Official 4. Mayor-council City government in which voters elect the mayor and the council 5. Council-manager City government in which voters elect the council, which hires a manager 6. Commissioners The governing body of each county

Type of Government or Local Description Government Official 7. County judge Presides over commissioners court meetings and oversees elections in the county 8. Special district Unit of local government created to address specific kinds of public service, such as school districts 9. State Board of Education The governing body that sets education policy for the state

Financing Local Governments 1. False; Property taxes are the single largest source of funding for public schools. 2. True-The Permanent School Fund provides money for public education without Texas citizens. 3. True-Bonds issued by local school districts often are used to buy land and build new schools.

4. False; The state supplies money to local districts from the Available School Fund. 5. True-Counties across Texas have established community colleges. 6. False; The public colleges and universities in Texas receive just under a third of their revenue from the state

Lesson 4-Texans and Citizenship-Being a Citizen Term Definition 1. Naturalization The path to citizenship for anyone who is not a citizen by birth 2. Resident alien A person from another country who has a long term permit to stay and work in the United States 3. Visa A permission from an official in a country that allows a person who is not a citizen of that country to enter and remain in the country for a period of time

Term Definition 4. Nonresident alien A person from another country who lives in the United States for only a short period of time 5. Undocumented alien A person from another country who does not have proper documentation 6. Oath of Allegiance The oath that must be taken by all individuals gaining citizenship through naturalization

Civic Rights and Responsibilities 1. True-The Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution guarantees a number of basic rights. 2. False; Freedom of speech means that people can speak their minds without fear. 3. True-Freedom of the press makes it possible for news media to provide information to citizens without government control.

4. False; The Texas Constitution includes an extensive Bill of Rights. 5. False; Citizens have the responsibility to pay taxes to government.

6. False; To vote in Texas elections, a person must be a U. S 6. False; To vote in Texas elections, a person must be a U.S. citizen and 18 years or older on Election Day. 7. True-Voter turnout is the share of possible voters who actually vote. 8. True-Citizens who are informed make better voting decisions.

Making Your Voice Heard 1. A primary election is an election in which a citizen can vote if the citizen joins a political party. 2. Once elections are over, political parties can help organize government.

3. A special interest group is the name given to a group of people seeking to advance their views on a public issue. 4. A young person can become informed about government and politics by following the news on radio, television, or online 5. Two way people can use the Internet to take advantage of the right to free speech my include writing a blog or tweeting ideas.