Texas Government Final Study Guide Flashcards

A set of vocabulary-style flashcards based on the Texas Government Final Study Guide covering policy making stages, constitutional history, civil liberties, and legislative structure.

Policy implementation

The stage of the policy making process where policies are actually carried out or put into effect by a government body.

Policy adoption

The step in the policy process where a government body formally acts to put a formulated policy into effect.

Agenda setting

The stage of the policy process illustrated by media focus on a specific problem or public petitions demanding action on a particular issue.

Policy formulation

The development of various courses of action for dealing with the specific problems placed on the government's agenda.

Policy evaluation

The stage of the policy process involving the use of studies or editorials to determine the effectiveness and impact of a specific law or program.

Constitutional amendment

A formal, written change or addition made to a state's governing document.

Constitution of 1869

A Texas governing document that provided for appointed judges, annual legislative sessions, and the abolition of slavery in accordance with Reconstruction requirements.

Carpetbaggers

The group that had the most influence in the drafting of the Radical Reconstruction Constitution.

1869 Constitution

The governing document under which Edmund J. Davis was elected governor of Texas.

The Grange

The group most influential in initiating and shaping the outcome of the Texas Constitutional Convention of 1875.

Constitution of 1876

The Texas governing document that established a state debt ceiling, set salaries of elected officials, and originally limited the governor's term to two years.

Civil liberties

Individual freedoms from government interference that are necessary to sustain a democracy.

Texas v. Johnson

The $1989$ U.S. Supreme Court case that ruled burning the flag is a form of symbolic speech protected by the First Amendment.

Santa Fe ISD case

A court case ruling that a school district was imposing an establishment of religion by allowing student-led prayer over a stadium public address system.

McDonald v. Chicago

The U.S. Supreme Court decision ruling that citizen ownership and use of firearms is protected by the Second Amendment.

Roe v. Wade

A U.S. Supreme Court case arising from Texas courts that was used to overturn antiabortion laws in all states.

Civil rights

The practice of treating members of all groups equally with the members of other groups.

Fourteenth Amendment

The amendment containing the "equal protection of the laws" clause, which served as the basis for declaring racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional in $1954$.

Privatizing

The act of a legislature passing legislation that delegates public programs to nonpublic service providers.

Policy

The unifying philosophy that holds laws together.

Legislative oversight

A responsibility of legislators that is often overlooked by their constituents.

Texas Senate

A legislative body consisting of $31$ members who serve four-year staggered terms.

Texas House of Representatives

A legislative body whose members serve two-year terms.

Gerrymandering

The process of drawing boundaries of electoral districts in a way that gives one party or faction an advantage over another.

Typical Texas legislator

A college-educated, married white male.

Rick Perry

The longest-serving governor in Texas history, under whom the legislature significantly increased the governor's formal powers.

Jim Ferguson

The only Texas governor to be removed through impeachment proceedings.

Ann Richards

A Texas governor elected in $1990$ who was often labeled the "thorny rose of Texas."

Plural executive

Executive system in Texas that is described as being highly fragmented.