Answer Key. Skillbuilder: Reading Social Studies Comparing Information 27. CHAPTER 27 The Texas Constitution. Guided Reading 27.1

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1 CHAPTER 27 The Texas Constitution Skillbuilder: Reading Social Studies Comparing Information 27 U.S. Constitution: tells what powers belong to the federal government; details the limits of power for both the federal and state governments; leaves all powers that are not assigned to the federal government with the states or with the people; is about 4,500 words long; places no limits on sessions of Congress; requires that U.S. senators are elected every six years; gives U.S. president the right to appoint members of the cabinet, Supreme Court justices, federal judges, and many other officers of the government; gives budgetary power mainly to the president; says that Congress and the president must agree on a budget; does not require the government to balance its budget; has been amended only 27 times in more than 200 years Texas Constitution: defines the role of our state government and lays out the rights and responsibilities of Texas citizens; is the highest law of our state, subject only to the U.S. Constitution and federal laws; is about 76,000 words long; calls for the legislature to meet for just one session of 140 days every two years; establishes four-year terms for Texas senators; calls for election rather than appointment of most state officers and of state district court judges; allows the governor to appoint people to unfinished terms in some offices; requires a balanced budget; does not permit a deficit; requires a budget that covers two years; has both the governor and a legislative budget board develop a budget plan and send it to the legislature, allowing the governor little power in setting the state budget; has Bill of Rights more specific than the U.S. document on which it was based; has been amended nearly 400 times since its adoption in 1876 Both: divide the government into legislative, executive, and judicial branches; limit the power of each branch of government through a system of checks and balances; include a Bill of Rights written to ensure equal rights for all people Discussion Questions 1. Pros: Legislators are prevented from passing too many laws. Cons: When problems arise, legislators have to wait until the next legislative session to address them; legislators have trouble keeping up with changes in government between sessions. 2. The election of state officers puts more power into the hands of the people, which was one of the goals of the leaders who wrote the constitution. 3. The Texas Constitution should be rewritten with more general wording that would require fewer amendments. A more general document would be easier to read and understand. Guided Reading 27.1 A. called for a bicameral legislature; required that the legislature and the president of the Republic be elected rather than appointed; gave the Texas president the power to appoint a cabinet; provided for a secretary of war and a secretary of the navy; created three separate branches of government legislative, executive, and judicial B. 1. Mexican Constitution: adopted in 1824 while Texas was still part of Mexico; combined the two Spanish provinces of Texas and Coahuila into a single state, Coahuila y Tejas 2. state constitution for Coahuila y Tejas: was adopted in 1827; was written in Spanish; Anglo Texans said that they did not have to serve in the Mexican army or pay taxes or customs duties 3. Constitution of the Republic of Texas: was adopted in 1836; remained in effect for the nine years that Texas was a republic; called for a bicameral legislature; required that the legislature and the president of the Republic be elected rather than appointed; gave the Texas president the power to appoint a cabinet; created three separate branches of government legislative, executive, and judicial 4. Constitution of 1845: was written so the state could be admitted to the Union; included provisions that are still in our constitution guaranteed property rights for married women, set up a permanent school fund, protected private homesteads from being taken in order to pay debts 5. Constitution of 1861: was written when Texas seceded from the Union; was very similar to the Constitution of 1845; further protected slavery and made setting slaves free against the law 6. Constitution of 1866: was written so that Texas could rejoin the United States after the Civil War; was in effect for less than three years before the Reconstruction government rewrote it 7. Constitution of 1869: gave the governor a great deal of power, including the power to appoint people to fill empty city, county, and district offices; allowed the governor to also appoint judges, but they had to be approved by the state legislature; pleased the Reconstruction government but was disliked by most Texans 8. Constitution of 1876: was written during the Constitutional Convention of 1875; is still in effect today C. The state government is broken into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch makes laws and sets the budget. The executive branch enforces the laws. The judicial branch interprets the laws and runs the courts. The government is divided into three branches so that no one branch has too much power. 36 UNIT 8

2 Answer Key Guided Reading 27.2 A. Causes: Many Texans felt that Davis had abused the authority he had been given in the 1869 Reconstruction constitution; over time, many Texans came to feel that the best government is the least government ; one way to limit legislature was to control how often and how long it could meet. Effects: It has created huge problems for Texas legislators in the twenty-first century; when a problem arises, the legislature has to wait until the next legislative session to address it unless the governor calls a special session; legislators have trouble keeping up with changes in government; legislators are prevented from passing too many laws. B. 1. U.S. Constitution 5. Texas Constitution 2. U.S. Constitution 6. Texas Constitution 3. Texas Constitution 7. U.S. Constitution 4. U.S. Constitution 8. U.S. Constitution C. Limited Legislative Sessions: The legislature would meet for one session of 140 days every two years; House of Representatives members are elected every two years; senators are elected every four years; governor can call special sessions. Election of State Officers: Most state officers are elected; governor may appoint people to unfinished terms in these offices; governor can appoint citizens to boards and commissions. Government Expenses: Texas Constitution requires a balanced budget; each budget must cover two years; governor sends a budget plan to the legislature; a legislative budget board also proposes a budget; Texas does not permit a deficit. Guided Reading 27.3 A. 1. Some citizens feared that the government might take away the rights they had fought so hard to win; Congress changed the Constitution to include the Bill of Rights, protecting individual rights; then the necessary three-quarters of the states ratified the amendments, making them law. 2. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Nineteenth Amendments guarantee freedom, voting rights, and equal protection under the law to women and minorities; no amendment has outlawed bias on the basis of gender; an amendment that would have guaranteed equal rights for women was passed by Congress in 1972 but was not ratified by three-fourths of the states. 3. A proposal to change our state constitution must first be presented to the state legislature; then both houses of the legislature must approve the amendment by at least a two-thirds majority; finally, the new amendment must be approved by a majority of Texas voters. B. Causes: The men who wrote the Texas Constitution wanted the people to decide how government was to be run; they wanted the people to be able to vote on new laws, tax increases, and nearly every other aspect of government; this is the principle of rule by the people. Effects: Texans have had to amend the Texas Constitution nearly 400 times; changing the constitution over and over again has led to many costly and time-consuming votes; the amendments have made the Texas Constitution very long and confusing. Skillbuilder: Vocabulary Terms and Names 27 A. Completion 1. b 4. c 2. a 5. b 3. d B. Matching 1. c 5. b 9. i 2. a 6. f 10. d 3. j 7. e 4. h 8. g C. Writing Students paragraphs should reflect information from the chapter and include all of the listed terms. Skillbuilder: Social Studies Supporting a Point of View If students need help, refer them to the Social Studies Skillbuilder for Supporting a Point of View on page 442 of the Pupil s Edition. 1. The writer feels that the Texas Constitution needs to be updated; The writer is against the detailed language of the document. 2. The problems faced by Texas state government are tough, indeed, but the effort to correct them is made even more difficult by the Texas Constitution; the Constitution is sadly in need of updating; its rigid structure; a document that severely limits government; legislature is hamstrung with low pay, biennial sessions and the inability to make what should be routine legislative changes; the executive branch s powers are spread thinly upon the ground; the government moves slowly toward reforms, if at all; the governor is practically powerless. 3. Factual information provided in the editorial helps to support the validity of the writer s point of view. For example, stating that the Texas Constitution includes more than 300 amendments and is 60,000 words long shows the detailed structure of the document. 4. The government must be both responsive to change and proactive in social matters, it must have new and stable sources of revenue, and those elected to carry out the will of the people and duties of government must be able to lead. Answer Key 37

3 Skillbuilder: Map & Geography State Constitutions Louisiana 2. Georgia; Massachusetts; Illinois, Michigan, Montana, and Pennsylvania 5. between 300 and 399 times 6. Alabama, California, and South Carolina 7. Most western states have each had only one constitution, whereas most eastern states have had several; The western states have not been states as long as the eastern states. Primary Sources Preambles to the Texas Constitution yes; U.S. Constitution 2. eliminating secession from future discussion, restoring public order, and protecting private property and human life; because it was the Reconstruction Constitution, forced upon Texas after the Civil War 3. states rights; because Texas was restating its sovereignty after having been under military rule by the Union State and Federal Government to fund public education 2. Florida, because it also had been under Spanish law previously 3. U.S. Supreme Court 4. It manages millions of acres of land that produces much money in oil and gas leases. This land is important for the future of Texas education. Rights a, equality under the law; 15a, right not to be committed; 30, rights of crime victims; 31, compensation to victims of crime 2. the power to regulate the wearing or carrying of arms 3. Section 2 4. the civil rights movement and women s movement, which fought for equal rights Skillbuilder: Reading Social Studies Outlining Information 28 I. State Government A. Legislative Branch 1. This branch makes the laws. 2. It is made up of two houses, the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives. 3. Lieutenant governor heads the Texas Senate. B. Executive Branch 1. This branch carries out and enforces the laws. 38 UNIT 8 CHAPTER 28 Three Levels of Texas Gov t. 2. Governor is the chief executive of the state. 3. It includes dozens of state agencies. C. Judicial Branch 1. This branch interprets the laws. 2. Courts see that Texas laws are properly enforced. 3. Judges are elected to run the courts. II. County Government and Special Districts A. County Commissioners Court 1. It sets the tax rate for the county. 2. It decides on the budget for all county operations. B. District Boards 1. Some have the power to set taxes and borrow money. 2. Some get their money through user fees or government funding. 3. They hire administrators, establish budgets, and set policies for their districts. C. School Districts 1. They remove the responsibility for schools from city and county government. 2. Each is run by a board of trustees that chooses a district superintendent, sets the school tax rate, approves a yearly budget, and sets some policies for the school district. III. Municipal Government A. Mayor-Council 1. Citizens elect a mayor and a city council. 2. Mayor carries out the executive duties of the city and oversees the activities of the city council. 3. City council debates and passes laws and votes on the city budget. B. Council-Manager 1. City council selects a city manager to be in charge of city administration. 2. Mayor heads city council meetings but has little power. 3. City council sets policy, passes laws, and oversees the city manager. C. Commission 1. Each city council member acts as the administrator of one or more city departments. 2. No cities in Texas are currently using this form of government. Discussion Questions 1. The legislative branch makes the laws, the executive branch carries out and enforces the laws, and the judicial branch interprets the laws. They must work together to write and enforce state law. 2. Most county commissioners courts, district boards, and school districts are responsible for establishing budgets and collecting taxes. 3. Similar: all rely on a city council to perform important city functions; Different: the power

4 Answer Key structure varies in each of the three forms; The council-manager form is most effective because the power is distributed more evenly. Guided Reading 28.1 A. Purpose: to make laws; Structure: made up of two houses, the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives; Sessions: legislature meets once every two years, in odd-numbered years; members meet for 140 days between January and the end of May; the governor may call a special session after the regular session ends to deal with specific items; Leaders: the lieutenant governor heads the Texas Senate; the Speaker of the House leads the Texas House of Representatives. B. 1. Some boards and commissions are appointed by the governor and approved by the senate; they help set policies for colleges and universities, state hospitals, and prisons and for the use of natural resources; there are more than 100 of these boards and commissions in Texas. 2. A second type is directed by a chief who is appointed by the governor and serves under him or her; the secretary of state, the labor commissioner, and the director of the Office of State-Federal Relations are all appointed by the governor. 3. A third type is headed by elected officials; these officials include the attorney general, the treasurer, the comptroller of public accounts, the agriculture commissioner, the commissioner of the General Land Office, and the three Texas Railroad Commissioners; they run some of the state s most important agencies. C. Lowest Level: made up of municipal courts and justices of the peace; generally deal with minor cases and misdemeanor criminal cases Next Level: county courts; handle appeals from lower courts and hear some criminal and civil cases; may also decide cases involving wills Next Level: district courts; try most of the major misdemeanor and felony criminal cases; hear divorce cases, election appeals, and appeals on cases involving wills Next Level: courts of appeal; hear cases that have been tried at the county or district level but have not been resolved Highest Level: supreme court and court of criminal appeals; nine justices on Texas Supreme Court hear civil and juvenile cases sent from the state courts of appeal; nine judges on Texas Court of Criminal Appeals hear criminal cases sent from the district courts and the state courts of appeal Guided Reading 28.2 A. Counties: property taxes; the fees charged for registering a motor vehicle or a boat Special Districts: taxes; borrowed money; user fees; government funding School Districts: money supplied by the legislature to help run schools; local property taxes B. 1. to help the state collect taxes, oversee and administer law enforcement, and provide services to the largely rural population 2. sets the tax rate for the county and decides on the budget for all county operations 3. sheriff; hires deputies and runs the county jail 4. providing water and sewer service for rural communities; providing hospitals and soil conservation services; help with flood control along rivers 5. choose the district superintendent, hire teachers, select books, decide on construction of new buildings, set the school tax rate, approve a yearly budget, and set some policies for the school district Guided Reading 28.3 A. provide police and fire protection; provide emergency medical services; provide sewers, storm drains, and water lines; involved in economic development; encourage new businesses to open in their cities; inspect restaurants, food stores, and other businesses; make zoning rules; offer special services and facilities for the community B. Mayor-Council: most Texas cities have this type; citizens elect a mayor and a city council; mayor carries out the executive duties of the city; mayor oversees the activities of the city council; city council debates and passes laws and also votes on the city budget; some have strong mayors, and some have weak mayors. Council-Manager: city council selects a city manager to be in charge of city administration; mayor heads city council meetings; mayor takes part in public ceremonies; mayor has little power; city council sets policy, passes laws, and oversees the city manager and the other city department heads. Commission: no cities in Texas currently use this form of government; each city council member acts as the administrator of one or more city departments; Galveston was the first city to adopt this form of government; important city departments can be run more effectively by specialists in certain areas. Skillbuilder: Vocabulary Terms and Names 28 A. Completion 1. lieutenant governor 2. justice of the peace 3. misdemeanor 4. felony 5. criminal law 6. court of criminal appeals 7. state supreme court Answer Key 39

5 B. Matching 1. a 6. i 11. o 2. e 7. g 12. d 3. f 8. l 13. c 4. j 9. m 14. k 5. h 10. b 15. n C. Writing Students speeches should reflect information from the chapter and include all of the listed terms. Skillbuilder: Social Studies Comparing Information 28.3 If students need help, refer them to the Social Studies Skillbuilder for Comparing Information on page 570 of the Pupil s Edition. 1. state government and city government 2. Both provide for public safety and public health. 3. State government relies on sales taxes, federal funds, fees for licenses and permits, and money earned from public lands to pay for its services. City government pays for its services with money from sales taxes, property taxes, and fees. 4. The framers of the Texas Constitution wanted to put power into the hands of Texas citizens. 5. Students may feel that the most important services provided by state and city governments are law enforcement and health inspections. Services such as these keep Texans safe. Skillbuilder: Map & Geography Texas Counties, to far West Texas (Mountains and Basins region) and South Texas (South Texas Plain) to far West Texas (Mountains and Basins region) 5. El Paso was the only town in the western part of the state at the time. 6. The counties in East Texas were formed at different times, whereas many of the counties in West Texas were formed during the same periods. In addition, most of the eastern counties are irregularly shaped, while most of the western counties are rectangular. 7. The government was involved in the Civil War and Reconstruction. Primary Sources Working for the State Bush executive branch; Bullock legislative branch, Senate; Laney legislative branch, House of Representatives 2. appointments to boards and commissions; power to call a special session and set its agenda; ability to communicate ideas and a vision to the public (also the veto, but it s not mentioned in this source) 3. because Texans don t want too much government, and they believe that if the government doesn t meet, it can t hurt you 40 UNIT 8 4. Answers may include that they are independent and go their own way; they tend to go in many different directions; they don t obey orders; they get into fights with each other; they are territorial; they like attention, etc. Working for the County Answers may include establishing the county budget and tax rate; maintaining jails, roads, and bridges; transportation planning; voter registration; maintaining county parks; supervising probation; collecting taxes; supervising the sheriff s office and law enforcement; and funding judges. 2. being a woman 3. by working for his reelection 4. She had to get their confidence and trust and overcome their bias against women; she succeeded by being friendly and respectful and having a sense of humor. Working for the City They have the power to negotiate their contracts. 2. law enforcement personnel from Austin and surrounding towns, the FBI, and librarians 3. The city probably had to decrease staff in the other departments. CHAPTER 29 Texas Citizens, Texas Leaders Skillbuilder: Reading Social Studies Identifying Supporting Details 29 How do Texans serve their communities? vote; pay taxes; serve on juries, participate in community planning; volunteer What political changes have occurred in Texas in the twentieth century? Many conservative Texans began to vote for Republicans, especially in national elections; the Republican Party gained control of political power in Texas; some Texas citizens have formed third parties. What factors determined who moved to Texas? The National Origins Act of 1924 placed limits on the number of people from each country who would be allowed into the United States; the Immigration Act of 1965 still set limits, but it was fairer; while the Texas oil and high-tech industries were booming, people in the North began moving to Texas to find work. Discussion Questions 1. In the 1960s the national Democratic Party supported civil rights, affirmative action, and other liberal programs. Conservative Texas Democrats did not support these programs. Many conservative Texans began to vote for Republicans, especially in national elections. The Republican Party gained control of political power in Texas. 2. People who migrated to Texas more than likely exercised their right to vote, affecting the candidates who were elected.

6 Answer Key 3. Voting is the most important civic responsibility because it gives citizens the opportunity to make decisions about key issues that will affect their lives. Guided Reading 29.1 A. Voting: When people do not vote, they do not help improve their government or their surroundings; they also give up the chance to decide who will lead the government and how issues on the ballot will be resolved. Paying taxes: Taxes pay for vital government services such as police and fire protection; they pay for streets and highways, parks, and libraries; taxes also pay for schools and hospitals. Serving on juries: The U.S. Constitution guarantees every person accused of a crime the right to a trial by a jury; people involved in civil cases also may request jury trials. Participating in community planning: Texas citizens work with local officials to plan the way their communities will grow; they can make their voices heard in decisions that will affect their future. Volunteering: Citizens share a responsibility to contribute to the common good; communities need people to share their knowledge, skills, and talents with others; donating time can do a great deal of good. B. Women won the right to vote in 1920, when the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified; African American men won the right to vote in 1870, when the Fifteenth Amendment was ratified; a 1902 amendment to the Texas Constitution required people to pay a poll tax; many African Americans and Hispanics could not afford to register to vote; the civil rights movement of the 1960s helped put an end to this type of discrimination; an amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1964 ended the poll tax in federal elections; Texas kept its poll tax in state and local elections until Guided Reading 29.2 A. 1952: Some Texas Democrats supported Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower for U.S. president. 1961: John Tower became the first Republican U.S. senator to be elected in Texas since Reconstruction. 1966: George Herbert Walker Bush was elected to Congress. 1978: William P. Clements became Texas s first Republican governor since Reconstruction. 1984: Phil Gramm switched parties and was elected to the U.S. Senate as a Republican; Texans elected University of North Texas economics professor Dick Armey to the U.S. Congress. 1993: Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison became the first Texas woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. 1994: George W. Bush became Texas s second Republican governor since Reconstruction. 1995: Dick Armey was named House Majority Leader. 2000: George W. Bush became president; Republican lieutenant governor Rick Perry took over the governor s office in Texas; Texas senators appointed Republican Bill Ratliff to serve as the new lieutenant governor. B. Lyndon Baines Johnson: served in both houses of the U.S. Congress; was vice-president to John F. Kennedy; became president after the assassination of Kennedy in 1963; was elected to a full term in 1964; helped pass key civil rights laws during this period; became unpopular for sending more troops to fight in the Vietnam War and decided not to run for another term George Herbert Walker Bush: was born in Massachusetts; was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in World War II; started a successful oil company in Midland; was elected twice as a Republican congressman from Houston but lost twice in races for the Senate; served as vicepresident under Reagan and was then elected president in 1988; gained popularity after the United States success in the Gulf War, but economic problems weakened his support and he lost the 1992 election George Walker Bush: comes from a long line of politicians; was elected governor of Texas in 1994; called for a statewide reading program and gave local communities more governing power over their schools; was reelected as governor in 1998 by one of the largest margins in Texas history; won the presidential race in 2000 by one of the smallest margins in history Guided Reading 29.3 A. National Origins Act of 1924: was passed in response to worries that immigrants would take jobs away from long-time American residents; allowed immigrants from European countries but banned all but a small number from areas other than North America; represented a form of racial prejudice Immigration Act of 1965: was passed in response to Lyndon B. Johnson s request to change racial quotas; was a fairer law than the National Origins Act; gave preference to relatives of immigrants who were already living in the U.S.; made it easier for people to come here if they were well educated or could provide some skill the country needed Both: set limits on the number of people from other countries who would be allowed into the United States B. Overseas competition caused some industries to fail; many companies closed factories and moved them to foreign countries where labor was cheaper; high foreign oil prices also hurt businesses in many parts of the country; as factories in the North were Answer Key 41

7 closing, Texas was enjoying a boom; demand for Texas oil poured a great deal of money into the state; factories across the border in Mexico provided jobs in Texas; growth of high-tech industries in Texas also provided jobs; as a result, people in the North began moving to Texas to find work. Skillbuilder: Vocabulary Terms and Names 29 A. Multiple Choice 1. b 2. a 3. b 4. c 5. c B. Matching 1. a 4. d 7. b 2. g 5. f 3. c 6. e C. Writing Students speeches should reflect information from the chapter and include all of the listed terms. Skillbuilder: Social Studies Creating a Database 29.1 If students need help, refer them to the Social Studies Skillbuilder for Creating a Database on page 591 of the Pupil s Edition. 1. Students should list the organizations with minimum age requirements of volunteers. 2. This database could be sorted by organization, by services provided, or by minimum age of volunteers. 3. Students responses should reflect similarities in the services provided. 4. Students should include reasons they have chosen the particular organization as the most beneficial one. Primary Sources Fighting for the Vote the impeachment of Governor Jim Ferguson 2. Answers may include mass meetings, large luncheons, a stream of letters to legislators, visits to legislators by many different women, getting articles in the press. 3. Many of the secretaries were women and might be sympathetic to the cause, and they had the ears of their bosses, the legislators. Texas Political Life better education and greater access to a college education 2. better public schools, greater economic opportunity, safer streets and communities, and a budget surplus 3. Many improvements have been made in recent years, but there are still challenges to overcome. Home to give comfort to Laotian refugees and help them maintain their religious beliefs 2. Similar: a dry region, fierce loyalty to their homeland; Different: language, culture, religion, food 3. Answers may include our culture, a sense of place, our language and way of speaking, our beliefs, our families, our histories, our food, etc. TAKS Skillbuilder 1. A TAKS Practice 1. C 2. G 3. C 4. J Skillbuilder: Map & Geography Electoral Votes for the 2000 Presidential Election California; New York; Texas 2. These states are very heavily populated George W. Bush ; Southern and Central states 7. states on the West and East Coasts, the Midwest, and the New England states 8. California, New York, Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania; Presidential candidates would probably campaign more heavily in states with a large number of electoral votes because they need the majority of the electoral votes to win the election. 42 UNIT 8