Term
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Definition
| A system of government in which political power and authority are located in one central government that runs the country and that may or may not share power with regional subunits. |
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Term
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Definition
| A national government created by states that relies on the states for its authority. |
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Term
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Definition
| A system of government in which power and authority are divided between a central government and regional subunits. |
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Term
Examples of Unitary System |
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Definition
| France, Spain, Tanzania, Europe, Japan, and Germany |
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Term
Examples of Confederal System |
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Definition
| Switzerland, United States under the Articles of Confederation, Confederate States of America, and Confederation of Independent States. |
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Examples of Federal System |
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Definition
| United States under the Constitution, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, and Nigeria. |
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Term
Why does the US have and retain a federal system? |
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Definition
| Our nation was born through the fusing of independent states- states that would have never have agreed to a merger if giving up their independence had been part of the deal. Federalism was a compromise. |
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Term
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Definition
| A theory stating that the powers of the federal and state governments are strictly separate, with interaction often marked by tension rather that cooperation. |
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Term
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Definition
| A system in which the powers of the federal and state government are intertwined and shared. Each level of government shares overlapping power, authority, and responsibility. |
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Term
Doctrine of Nullification |
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Definition
| Theory that state governments had a right to rule any federal law unconstitutional and therefore null and void in that state. The doctrine was ruled unconstitutional but served as a source of southern rebellion, contributing to the secession of southern states from the Union and ultimately the Civil War. |
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Term
| Which system would reference the 9th and 10th Amendments? |
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Definition
| The confederal system/ Reserve powers. |
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Term
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Which amendment gave the freed slaves citizenship?
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Definition
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Term
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Which system would reference the “necessary and proper” clause?
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Definition
| Federal System/ implied powers. |
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Term
Delegated powers and examples |
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Definition
| Also called the Enumerated Powers are the powers of Congress established in section eight of Article I of the US Constitution. So what the national government can do. |
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Term
Implied Powers and examples |
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Definition
| Those powers authorized by a legal document (from the Constitution) that, while not stated, seem to be implied by powers expressly stated. Like the "necessary and proper" clause or like power to levy income taxes, etc. |
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Term
Concurrent Powers and examples |
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Definition
| Those powers in nations with a federal system of government that both the State and federal government have in common. Examples include the ability to make laws, roads, defense, parks and enforcement for police, prisons, health, and environment. |
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Term
What city in Texas “invented” the Commission Form of city government? |
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Definition
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Term
Partisan vs. Non-Partisan Elections in Texas – which levels?
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Definition
| Partisan elections are elections in which candidates represent a political party and non- partisan elections are elections in which candidates do not represent a political party. Non-partisan elections only exist in Texas? Below county level you are not allowed to belong to a party by law. |
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Term
Argument in favor of Commission Form of city government |
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Definition
| By eliminating partisan elections and combining the executive, administrative, and legislative functions, it was argued cities could provide services more efficiently. It would also save more money. |
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Term
The role of the Sheriff in rural Texas counties |
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Definition
| An elected official who is the chief law enforcement officer of a county. |
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Term
The role of the County Treasurer in Texas |
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Definition
| The county officer responsible for overseeing county monies. |
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Term
Patronage or the “spoils system” of awarding jobs |
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Definition
| A system that rewards the supporters of successful political candidates and parties with government jobs while firing supporters of the opposing party. |
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Term
How many special districts exist in Texas? |
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Definition
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Term
Dillon’s rule in local Texas governments |
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Definition
| The legal concept that local governments possess only powers granted to them by the state. |
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Term
The advantages and disadvantages of at-large elections |
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Definition
At-large elections are elections in which officeholders are elected by voters in the entire city.
Advantages: City wide support, most likely do what is best for the city, eliminates gerrymandering (which is the dividing of a state, county) into election districts so as to give one political party a majority in many districts while concentrating the voting strength of the other party into as few districts as possible.
Disadvantage: tend to dilute minority representation. Minorities found it difficult to win such races in areas where the majority of the voters were white. |
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Term
The advantages and disadvantages of single-member district elections |
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Definition
A single-member district is a specific geographic area from which city council members, legislators, or other public officials are elected.
Advantages: increases accountability, encourages a stronger connection between representative and constituent
Disadvantages: can be safe seated; where majority of voters favor a candidate or party so strongly that the candidate’s election is practically guaranteed in advance of the vote. This means that all other voters make no difference in the result of the election. |
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Term
What is the main purpose of a grant-in-aid? |
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Definition
| First of all, a grant-in-aid is a fund given from one governmental unit to another governmental unit for specific purposes. The grants-in-aid are used as key tools of creative federalism, and they become a crucial means for redistributing income. Under this system, money collected from all citizens by the national government in the form of taxes is then allocated by the federal government for the benefit of certain citizens in specific cities and states. |
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Term
Categorical grants and an example |
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Definition
| Categorical grants are grants of money from the federal government to state or local governments for very specific purposes. There are two types which include formula grants and project grants. These grants often require that funds be matched by the receiving entity. An example of this would be federal assistance to put more police officers on the street. |
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Term
| Formula grants and an example |
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Definition
| Formula grants are funds distributed according to a particular formula, which specifies who is eligible and for how much. For example, the number of school-age children living in families below the poverty line is used to allocate federal funds to each state to subsidize school breakfasts and lunches. Democrats prefer. |
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Term
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Project grants and an example
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Definition
| Project grants are awarded on the basis of competitive applications rather than a specified formula. For example, consider homeless shelters: A community could apply for a project grant to develop a new model of a shelter, one that not only houses the homeless but also involves the efforts of other community organizations to provide education, job training, and substance abuse counseling. Republicans prefer. |
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Term
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Definition
| The transfer of jurisdiction and fiscal responsibility for particular programs from the federal government to state or local governments. |
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Term
After Mexico declared independence from Spain, Texas became what? |
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Definition
| In 1824, the new Republic of Mexico adopted a constitution for a federal system that recognized Texas as a single state of Mexico. |
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Term
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Definition
| The theory that state governments had a right to declare their independence and create their own form of government. Eleven southern states seceded from the Union in 1860-1861, created their own government (the Confederate States of America), and thereby precipitated the Civil War. |
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Term
Doctrine of Nullification |
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Definition
| Theory that state governments had a right to rule any federal law unconstitutional and therefore null and void in that state. The doctrine was ruled unconstitutional but served as a source of southern rebellion, contributing to the secession of southern states from the Union and ultimately the Civil War. |
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Term
Secession and nullification arguments were settled by what event? |
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Definition
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Term
What amendment abolished slavery? |
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Definition
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Term
What was the Civil Rights Act of 1964? |
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Definition
| A landmark piece of legislation in the United States that outlawed major forms of discrimination against African Americans and women, including racial segregation. |
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Term
What is the role of the commissioners court in Texas counties? |
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Definition
| The commissioners court is the principal policymaking body of a county that shares administrative functions with other independently elected officials. The commissioners court is comprised of a county judge, who is elected countywide, and four county commissioners, who are elected from a county’s four commissioner precincts. The court is primarily administrative, as counties do not have ordinance making power. |
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Term
What is annexation and who has that power in Texas? |
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Definition
| Annexation power is the authority of a city to add territory, subject to restrictions set by state law. And cities have this power in Texas. |
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Term
How many amendments does the Texas Constitution have (approx.)? |
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Definition
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Term
The so-called Reconstruction Constitution of Texas was required by whom? |
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Definition
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Term
What year was the Republic of Texas created? |
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Definition
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Term
How does the Texas and U.S. Constitution differ? |
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Definition
| The Texas Constitution is long and specific while the U.S. Constitution is short, concise, and not detailed. |
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Term
What are the criticisms of the Texas Constitution of 1876? |
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Definition
| The framers of the Texas Constitution of 1876 seeked to restore control of their state government to the people and reestablish economic stability, they fashioned what was essentially an antigovernment charter, deliberately limiting government power. Centralization was replaced with more local control, strict limits were placed on taxation, and the legislature, the courts and especially the governor were put on short leashes. |
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Term
Schools in Texas are governed at what level? |
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Definition
| Schools in Texas are governed at the local level with the city government controlling them, school district controlling them with their own boards of trustees, or residents forming community schools. |
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Term
Describe in TWO words the Texas Constitution of 1876 |
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Definition
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Term
Court case of McCullogh vs Maryland |
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Definition
| U.S. Supreme Court decision that defined the respective powers of the state and federal governments. Written by Chief Justice John Marshall, the opinion established that the Constitution grants to Congress implied power in order to create a functional national government, and that state action may not impede valid constitutional exercises of power by the Federal government. |
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Term
General-law cities in Texas |
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Definition
| Cities with fewer than 5,000 residents can only exercise powers specifically granted by the legislature. |
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Term
Home rule cities in Texas |
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Definition
| The right of a city with a population of more than 5,000 to adopt any form of government the residents choose, provided it does not conflict with the state constitution or statuses. |
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Term
How many incorporated cities and towns are there in Texas? |
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Definition
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Term
Strong mayor form of city government and an example |
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Definition
| A form of city government that gives the mayor considerable power, including budgetary control and appointment as well as removal authority over city department heads. An example would be Houston. |
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Term
Weak mayor form of city government and an example |
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Definition
| Mayor shares authority but has little independent control over city policy, administration. An example would be Dallas. |
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Term
Council-manager form of city government and an example |
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Definition
| City government in which policy is set by an elected city council, which hires a professional city manager to head the daily administration of city government. An example would be Austin. |
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Term
Local governments in Texas are subject to who and/or what? |
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Definition
| Local governments are created by the state and operate under limits set by the Texas constitution and the legislature. |
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