Texas Politics & Government – Chapters 1-3 Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering major terms, institutions, and historical facts from the lecture on Texas politics, federalism, constitutional development, and the state legislature.

Politics

The decision-making process used to create and implement policy, involving conflict resolution, debate, and hierarchy.

Policy

An adopted course of action by an authority to achieve group goals, producing winners and losers.

Government

A system or set of institutions with the legitimate right to use force, make laws, and maintain public order.

Political Culture

A region’s shared view of how government should operate and what policies it should pursue.

Individualistic Political Culture

Emphasizes personal freedom, individual responsibility, and limited governmental intervention—common in Texas.

Traditionalistic Political Culture

Stresses maintenance of long-standing social orders and institutions with government as primary enforcer.

Moralistic Political Culture

Advocates active government that promotes community welfare through public goods such as schools, roads, and hospitals.

One-Party Dominance

Extended control of Texas politics by a single party—today, the Republican Party.

Provincialism

A self-centered worldview in which Texans see their state as the focal point and prefer doing things their own way.

Business-Oriented Politics

Policy approach that relaxes regulations to attract companies, historically tied to oil and gas interests.

Oil and Gas Sector

Long-time backbone of Texas economy, with major refining capacity and large natural-gas reserves.

Spain’s Claim to Texas

First European power to explore and establish settlements, leaving Spanish names on many Texas cities.

French Occupation of Texas

Brief period when France controlled parts of Texas before Spain reclaimed the area.

Mexican Texas

Era when Texas was a state within newly independent Mexico after 1821.

Republic of Texas

Independent nation from 1836-1845 formed after Texans revolted against Mexican rule.

Annexation of Texas (1845)

Admission of Texas as the 28th U.S. state, delayed by slavery balance concerns.

Confederate Texas

Texas’s membership in the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Reconstruction Era in Texas

Post-Civil-War period when Texas was readmitted to the Union and underwent political restructuring.

Constitution of 1869

Centralizing ‘carpetbagger’ constitution granting broad state power after the Civil War.

Constitution of 1876

Current Texas constitution; limits state power, creates plural executive, and is lengthy with frequent amendments.

Cotton and Cattle Economy

Dominant 1820-1900 industries that supplied Confederate agriculture and shaped Texas culture.

Spindletop (1901)

Giant oil strike near Beaumont that launched Texas’s oil boom.

Boom-and-Bust Cycle

Economic pattern where high oil prices create prosperity followed by downturns when prices fall.

Economic Diversification

Post-1945 strategy expanding Texas into tech, aerospace, health care, film, and more.

Texas GDP Growth

Fastest state economic expansion in the past 20 years.

In-Migration

Movement of people from other U.S. states into Texas, fueling population growth.

Latino Majority in Texas

Latinos became Texas’s largest demographic group, influencing electoral outcomes.

Federalism

System in which state and national governments are sovereign within constitutionally assigned areas.

Enumerated (Expressed) Powers

Specific federal powers listed in the U.S. Constitution, e.g., declare war, coin money.

Implied Powers

Federal powers not explicitly stated but necessary to carry out enumerated powers.

Concurrent Powers

Authorities shared by federal and state governments, such as taxing and establishing courts.

Reserved Powers

Powers not given to the federal government and therefore kept by the states under the 10th Amendment.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Constitutional language (Art. I, §8) allowing Congress to enact laws needed to execute enumerated powers.

Interstate Commerce Clause

Grants Congress authority to regulate trade among states and with foreign nations.

Power to Tax and Spend

Federal ability to raise revenue and use funds to encourage state compliance with national programs.

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Requires states to honor public acts, records, and judicial decisions of other states.

Privileges and Immunities Clause

Prevents states from infringing fundamental rights of out-of-state U.S. citizens.

Supremacy Clause

Establishes that federal law made under constitutional authority overrides conflicting state laws.

Separation of Powers

Division of governmental authority among executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Checks and Balances

System allowing each branch to limit or monitor the others to prevent abuse of power.

Popular Sovereignty

Principle that governmental power derives from the consent of the governed.

Social Contract Theory

Idea that people yield some freedoms in exchange for governmental protection of peace and order.

Mexican Constitution of 1824

Document under which Texas was a Mexican state with limited self-rule.

Republic of Texas Constitution of 1836

First independent Texas constitution drafted after secession from Mexico.

Statehood Constitution of 1845

Framework governing Texas upon joining the United States.

Confederate Constitution of 1861

Texas constitution aligning the state with the Confederacy.

Reconstruction Constitution of 1866

Post-war charter rejected for insufficient civil-rights provisions.

Carpetbaggers

Northerners who moved south after the Civil War for economic or political gain.

Radical Republicans

Politicians opposing secession and favoring strong federal action in Reconstruction.

Plural Executive (Texas)

System with six independently elected statewide executives limiting gubernatorial power.

Homestead Exemption

Texas constitutional protection shielding a primary residence from forced sale by creditors.

Balanced Budget Requirement

Mandate that Texas’s biennial budget cannot spend more than anticipated revenue.

Amendment Proposal (Texas)

Requires two-thirds approval in both legislative chambers to place a constitutional change on the ballot.

Amendment Ratification (Texas)

Adoption of a proposed amendment by majority vote in a statewide election (held in odd years).

Bicameral Legislature

Two-chamber lawmaking body; in Texas, the Senate and House of Representatives.

Texas Senate

Upper chamber with 31 members elected from single-member districts; minimum age 26.

Texas House of Representatives

Lower chamber with 150 members elected from single-member districts; minimum age 21.

Biennial Legislative Session

Regular 140-day meeting of the Texas Legislature every odd-numbered year.

Special Session

Thirty-day legislative meeting called by the governor, who sets the agenda; unlimited in number.

Speaker of the House (Texas)

Presiding officer elected by House members who controls committee assignments and bill flow.

Lieutenant Governor (Texas)

Statewide-elected president of the Senate with significant control over legislation and committees.

Standing Committee

Permanent chamber-specific committee that reviews bills in a particular policy area.

Conference Committee

Joint panel reconciling House and Senate versions of a bill before it goes to the governor.

Redistricting

Redrawing of state legislative district boundaries after each census, often for partisan advantage.

Reapportionment

Reallocation of U.S. House seats among states based on population changes; Texas currently has 38.

Incumbent Advantage

Electoral edge enjoyed by current officeholders due to name recognition, fundraising, and redistricting.

Comptroller of Public Accounts

State official who estimates revenues that set the ceiling for the legislative budget.

Line-Item Veto

Governor’s power to reject specific spending items in an appropriations bill without vetoing the whole bill.

Sunset Provision

Clause that automatically terminates an agency or law after a set period unless renewed.

Impeachment (Texas)

Formal accusation of wrongdoing by the House; requires simple majority (76 votes).

Removal (Texas)

Senate conviction and ouster of an impeached official by two-thirds vote (21 senators).

Legislative Budget Board

Joint House-Senate body, co-chaired by the Speaker and Lieutenant Governor, that drafts budget proposals.

Sales Tax (Texas)

Primary state tax set at 6.25 % statewide; cities may add up to 2 % more.

Public Education Expenditure

Roughly 31.5 % of Texas’s 2023 budget spent on K-12 schools.

Healthcare Expenditure

Largest share of the 2023 Texas budget at about 33 % for health services and Medicaid.

majority-minority

Ethnic and racial minority groups make up a majority of the population of the state (texas is one)

political action committee (PACs)

A spin-off of an interest group that collects money for campaign contributions and other activities

urban area

consists of 50,000 or more people (majority in texas and increasing)

urban cluster

2,500 to 50,000 people

rural area

all land and population not considered as urban (decreasing population in texas)

protestant

majority religion in texas