E XAM 4 S TUDY G UIDE T EXAS P OLITICS
Chapter One: Texas Political Environment
1.
How does the unique Texas history play into its current culture and how has this shaped government in Texas?
2.
How do subcultures play a role in Texas and how do they attempt to shape government policies?
3.
Describe the Texas Economy and population as to their impacts on Texas history, culture, and government.
4.
What myths shape Texas political culture?
Chapter Two: Texas Constitution
1.
Draw contrasts and comparisons between the influences of the American and Texas
Constitutions.
2.
How can the Texas Constitution be revised and how frequently is this done?
3.
How is the Texas Constitution of today a product of Texas’s past Constitutions?
4.
How many constitutions has Texas had?
Chapter Three: Texas Political Participation & Elections
1.
Identify important obstacles to voting that have been removed in the course of democratizing the ballot in Texas since the Civil War.
2.
List the legal qualifications for voting in Texas.
3.
What types of elections does Texas have?
4.
What is the difference between a closed and open primary election?
Chapter 4: Interest Groups and Political Parties
1.
What industries are powerful in Texas?
2.
Describe the recent rise of the Texas Republican Party and the decline of the Texas
Democratic Party.
Chapter Five: The Texas Legislature
1.
What are the qualifications for being in the Texas Legislature?
2.
Describe the ways in which the Texas Legislature is more or less professional than other state legislatures.
3.
Describe the leadership positions of Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, and Committee
Chairs in the Legislature.
4.
What problems face the Texas legislature (e.g. salaries, work load, resources, etc.)
5.
What is a biennial, bicameral legislature?
Chapter Six: The Texas Executive
1.
Explain each of the five roles of the Texas Governor.
2.
What is the “plural executive administrative system of Texas?” Describe.
3.
Describe the executive branch’s interaction with state agencies.
Chapter Seven: The Texas Courts System
1.
What are courts of limited jurisdiction?
2.
Describe each type of court, and how civil vs. criminal law cases moves between tiers of court by method of appeal or otherwise.
3.
Compare and contrast election vs. merit types of selection of Texas Judges.
Chapter Eight: Local Government in Texas
1.
How are local governments divided, changed, and ruled per the Texas Constitution and laws?

2.
Describe each of the county and city level officials and their authority/responsibility.
3.
How do school districts and other special districts in Texas operate legally and how do they get their funds?
4.
What are the legal, territorial, and financial problems that face local governments in Texas?