Texas Geography, History, and Political Culture

Historical Foundation and the Road to Statehood

• Timeline of Texas Statehood:

  • The path to statehood involved the Revolution of Texas, the Mexican-American War, and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

  • Texas achieved formal statehood on $February\,19,\,1846$.

• The Alamo:

  • Located in downtown San Antonio.

  • Site of the historic $1836$ siege and battle.

  • Remains a popular destination for tourists and students.

Geographic Characteristics and Implications

• General Geography:

  • Texas is the $2nd$ largest state in the United States in terms of both population and land area.

  • The state covers a total of $261,231\,square\,miles$.

  • It is highly urbanized, with $88\%$ of the population living in urban areas.

  • The state possesses abundant natural resources but also faces a high poverty rate.

• The Paradox of Geographic Size:

  • Benefits: The vast size of Texas insulated the state from the large, corrupt party machines that were prevalent in the nineteenth century.

  • Costs: The immense geographic scale stifled the development of beneficial interest groups intended to support community interests.

  • Political Campaigning: Due to the size ($261,231\,sq\,mi$), candidates in statewide campaigns must spend millions of dollars to communicate with and successfully mobilize voters.

Demographic Profile of Modern Texas

• Population Growth:

  • Texas continues to experience rapid population growth.

  • Between $2000$ and $2010$, many counties saw growth exceeding $50\%$.

  • In $2010$, the population was $25,145,561$, an increase of $4.3\,million$ people in ten years.

  • The Texas growth rate was $20.6\%$, which is significantly higher than the national growth rate of $9.7\%$.

  • By $2013$, the estimated population reached $26,448,193$.

  • Texas is the second most populous state, behind California, driven by high birth rates, migration, and immigration.

• Urbanization Trends:

  • $88\%$ of Texans live in $1,210$ cities and suburbs.

  • Three of the ten largest cities in the United States are in Texas: Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas.

  • The "Texas Urban Triangle" (formed by Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and San Antonio) is where most Texans live and where future growth is projected.

  • Top 10 Cities by Population (as of 2010):

  1. Houston

  2. San Antonio

  3. Dallas

  4. Austin

  5. Fort Worth

  6. El Paso

  7. Arlington

  8. Corpus Christi

  9. Plano

  10. Laredo

• Aging Population:

  • In $2010$, Texas ranked $49th$ among states for median age.

  • The median age in Texas was $33.6\,years$, compared to the national median of $37.2\,years$.

  • Approximately $10\%$ of the population was older than $65$ in $2010$, creating increased demands for health care, long-term care, and Medicaid spending.

Political Culture and Myths

• Definition of Political Culture:

  • A set of attitudes, beliefs, and sentiments that give order and meaning to a political process.

  • Includes assumptions and rules that govern behavior.

  • Encompasses beliefs about the proper role of government, the relationship between government and citizens, and who should govern.

• Texas Political Myths:

  • Myths are stories used to describe the past and are pervasive in literature, symbols, rituals, and popular culture.

  • Myth of Origin: Tied to individualism, specifically centered on The Alamo and the "Lone Star State."

  • Frontier Myth: Focuses on individualism, represented by the icon of the Cowboy and the Texas Rangers.

• The Texas Ranger Image:

  • Represents a complex symbol: for some, a heroic figure (e.g., Gerry Villalobos searching for suspects in West Texas); for many Hispanics and minorities, a symbol of violent suppression.

The Three Political Subcultures (Daniel Elazar)

• Daniel Elazar's Theory: Identified three subcultures shaped by immigration patterns that account for regional differences.

• 1. Individualistic Subculture:

  • Views politics and government as a marketplace.

  • Purpose of Government: To provide a stable political order where private individuals and groups can pursue specific interests.

  • Policy-making: New initiatives are usually driven by interest groups or private individuals rather than public officials.

• 2. Moralistic Subculture:

  • Purpose of Government: To serve the general interests or the "general good."

  • Politics: Rooted in a sense of duty and responsibility to use power to benefit all segments of society.

  • Origin: New England states.

• 3. Traditionalistic Subculture:

  • Purpose of Government: Designed to serve the interests of a small elite few.

  • Politics: Systematic efforts are made to reduce or eliminate general public participation.

  • Origin: Southern states.

• Texas Classification: Texas is primarily a mix of Individualistic and Traditionalistic subcultures, resulting from two migration patterns: the Upper South (before/after Mexican independence) and the Lower South (after Texas independence).

Ethnic and Racial Diversity in Texas

• Native Americans:

  • Less than $0.5\%$ of the total population.

  • Three main groups: Alabama-Coushatta, Tigua, and Kickapoo.

  • The name "Texas" (Tejas) originates from Native American tribes and means "allies" or "friends."

• Anglos:

  • Migrated from the Upper and Lower South, establishing the state's political subcultures.

  • In $1860$, Anglos were $63.2\%$ of the population.

  • In $2010$, Anglos were $45.3\%$ of the population.

• Hispanics:

  • In $2010$, Hispanics comprised $37.6\%$ of the state population.

  • This group has increasing political influence; in $2011$, Hispanics held $2,520$ elected positions in Texas (the highest in the U.S.).

  • Seven Hispanics have been elected to statewide office.

• African Americans:

  • In $2010$, they made up approximately $12\%$ ($11.5\%$ specifically) of the population.

  • Concentrations are found in eastern counties and large urban centers.

• Asian Americans:

  • Comprised $3.8\%$ of the population in $2010$.

  • The largest concentration is in Houston, where several Asian Americans have been elected to public office.

• Historical Ethnic Composition (Anglo / African American / Hispanic / Other):

  • 1930: $73.3\% / 14.7\% / 12\% / \text{not specified}$

  • 1970: $69.1\% / 12.5\% / 18.4\% / \text{not specified}$

  • 2010: $45.3\% / 11.5\% / 37.6\% / 5.6\%$

Economic Landscape and Transformation

• Gross State Product (GSP): Texas has a $1.2\,trillion$ GSP.

• Economic Sectors (Civilian Employment):

  • Educational services, health care, and social assistance: $20.8\%$

  • Retail Trade: $11.5\%$

  • Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services: $10.5\%$

• Economic Transformation:

  • The economy is diversifying away from traditional sectors.

  • Significant growth is seen in service industries, high-tech, and biotech.

  • The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is a key factor in economic activity.

Socioeconomic Realities and Educational Attainment

• Income Disparity:

  • There is a wide disparity in income distribution among Texans.

  • Approximately $17\%$ of Texans live below the poverty line.

  • Poverty disproportionately affects minorities, single heads of households, children, and the elderly.

• Income Figures (2010 Census):

  • Median Household Income: Texas $(\$48,615)$ vs. U.S. $(\$50,046)$.

  • Median Income by Race (TX):

  • Asian American: $(\$63,947)$

  • Anglo: $(\$59,772)$

  • Hispanic: $(\$37,087)$

  • African American: $(\$35,640)$

  • Poverty Rate by Race (TX):

  • Hispanic: $26.8\%$

  • African American: $24.8\%$

  • Asian American: $12.6\%$

  • Anglo: $9.3\%$

• The Colonias:

  • There are approximately $1,200$ settlements (colonias) along the Texas-Mexico border.

  • Characteristics include substandard housing, lack of running water, lack of sewer lines, and unpaved roads (e.g., the case of $6\text{-year-old}$ Varias Mendoza in Los Fresnos).

• Educational Attainment (2010):

  • High School Diploma (TX): $80.7\%$ (All) | Asian $85.8\%$ | Anglo $92.0\%$ | African American $86.1\%$ | Hispanic $59.6\%$

  • College Degree (TX): $25.9\%$ (All) | Asian $51.8\%$ | Anglo $34.1\%$ | African American $19.6\%$ | Hispanic $11.6\%$

Challenges of the Twenty-First Century

• Urban State Issues:

  • Managing rapid population growth and the transformation to a service/high-tech economy.

  • Addressing increasing demands for public services in an urbanized environment.

• Persistent Societal Questions: Every generation in Texas must address:

  • The role of government in society.

  • The relationship of individual people to the government.

  • The responsiveness of the government to its citizens.

Questions & Discussion

• The Economy of Texas:

  • Prompt: What impacts could increased trade between the governments of Mexico and Texas have on specific areas?

  • Focus Areas:

  • The border economy.

  • Major cities: Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso.

  • Other cities throughout the state.