Creating a Government
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How many constitutions has Texas functioned under since annexation? _____________

The Texas Constitution is _____________________ than the US Constitution.

The Texas Constitution has been amended 456 times. What does that mean?
______________________________________________________________________

The US Constitution has been amended 27 times. What can we infer about the
differences in the two documents? __________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________.

According to the US Constitution, we have a system of __________________________,
in which all government powers are shared between the states and the national
governments. Overall, who remains supreme? ________________________________
Separation of Powers: _________________________________________________________
The Executive Branch: __________________________________________
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USA
____________________, Vice President,
President’s cabinet
Can serve a maximum of
___________________ terms
President and Vice President are
_________________________________
__
President’s Cabinet is appointed by the
____________________, approved by
the ______________________
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Texas
______________________, Lieutenant
Governor, Governor’s cabinet
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4 year terms—_________________
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All members of executive branch are elected
____________________
The Legislative Branch: __________________________________________
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USA
_______________________ = House of
Representatives + Senate
Senators = ________ per state, must be
elected, serve ______________ terms
House of Reps = # of reps depends on
____________________, must be
elected, serve a ___________ term
Must meet at least ______________,
time not limited
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Texas
_________________________ = House of
Representatives + Senate
Senators = _________ total, must be elected,
serve _______________ terms
House of Reps = __________ total, must be
elected, serve a _____________ term
Must meet for
____________________________
The Judicial Branch: : __________________________________________
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USA
________________________
________ justices (one chief justice)
___________________ by the President,
approved by the Senate
Serve a ________________________
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Texas
2 Supreme Courts???
Court of _____________________ (hears
criminal cases)
_______________________________ (hears
civil cases)
Both have 1 chief justice and 8 other justices,
_______ total
All _______________ to ___________ terms
______________________________ make sure no one branch becomes _________________.
1. In order to make sure the President is choosing qualified people for his cabinet, the
Senate must approve his choices.
a. The __________________ is checking on the ___________________________.
2. In order to make sure Congress is not creating tyrannical type laws, the Supreme Court
checks to make sure the law is constitutional.
a. The __________________ is checking on the ___________________________.
3. A man is convicted of tax evasion. The President pardons him of his crime, and the man
does not go to jail.
a. The __________________ is checking on the ___________________________.
Bill of Rights:

Since they are found in the first ________________________________ of the US
Constitution, that tells us _________________________________________________.

Since they are found in the first _________________________________ of the Texas
Constitution, that tells us _________________________________________________.
Why? _______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
The Bill of Rights were added to protect the rights of the people from
_________________________________.
Some examples of rights protected by the Bill of Rights are: