Texas History and Political Culture

This set of flashcards covers the introduction to Texas political culture, types of political ideologies, early Texas history including the Mexican and Spanish eras, and the evolution of the Texas Constitution.

Culture

The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize institutions, organizations, and society.

Political ideology

The individual level of what people view the way government should be and how it ought to act.

Daniel Ellisar

A researcher who identified three typologies of American political culture based on studies of different regions in the United States.

Moralistic political culture

The belief that the government's job is to promote the public good or well-being of the community, often by promoting traditional values and social conservatism.

Individualistic political culture

A culture where government is seen as a tool to benefit the individual, favoring limited government, capitalism, and a free market to avoid trampling on people's rights.

Traditionalistic political culture

The belief that the government's job is to promote and maintain the social and economic hierarchy, essentially preserving the status quo.

Public service

A job in service of others, such as working for local, state, or federal government, the military, or nonprofit organizations.

Precinct chair

A party official elected for a $2$-year term from within the party to organize voters and encourage registration at the most local level.

County chair

A party official elected by their party membership for a $2$-year term to oversee all precincts in a county, help fundraise, and receive candidate filings.

Straight party voting

A shortcut where a voter selects candidates from the same party for all positions on a ballot.

Ticket splitting

Voting for different parties for different positions based on individual research rather than party alignment.

Straight ticket voting

A previously allowed practice in Texas, abolished in $2017$, where checking a single box automatically voted for every candidate of a specific party.

One-party state

A state where one political party consistently holds a majority of seats in all elected positions.

Texas Grange

A huge farmers' organization in the $19^{th}$ century that served as a proto-interest group in Texas.

Lobby control act of 1957

A law requiring lobbyists to register with the government to provide transparency regarding attempts to influence politicians.

Treaty of Cordoba

The $1824$ treaty that granted Mexico its independence from Spain.

Constitution of 1827

The first constitution of independent Mexico, which banned slavery, created a unicameral legislature, and made Roman Catholicism the official state religion.

Unicameral

A legislative or lawmaking body consisting of a single house.

The Alamo

A Mexican garrison in San Antonio that was taken by a group of Texans in December $1835$ and retaken by the Mexican military on March $6$, $1836$.

Constitution of 1836

The first constitution of the Republic of Texas which was stylistically similar to the American constitution and established three branches of government.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

The treaty ending the Mexican American War that officially established the southern border of Texas and included the Gadsden Purchase of $1853$.

Constitution of 1869

A constitution written during the Reconstruction era to comply with federal policies, which greatly expanded the powers of the governor.

Constitution of 1876

The current Texas constitution written by conservative Democrats to limit state power and create a plural executive.

Plural executive

An executive branch consisting of multiple elected officials to ensure no single person has absolute power.

Lieutenant governor

The official who presides over the state senate, is first in line of succession for the governor, and is elected to a $4$-year term.

Attorney general

The lawyer for the state of Texas responsible for representing the state in lawsuits and interpreting the constitutionality of laws.

Comptroller of public accounts

The chief tax collector and accounting officer for the state of Texas.

Missions

Catholic church institutions built by Spain to provide culture and religion while attempting to bring natives into the Spanish colony.

Presidios

Spanish military forts set up close to missions to provide security and serve as government institutions.

Juneteenth

Celebrated on June $19$, $1865$, the day General Order $3$ reached Texas and announced that all slaves were free.

Black codes

Also known as Jim Crow laws, these were types of racial legislation designed to keep free blacks from participating in government.

Poll taxes

A tax required to be paid before a person could vote, used as a way to disproportionately harm the poor and African American communities.

Grandfather clause

An exemption that allowed people to vote without hurdles if they could show their grandfather had been able to vote.