Texas History and Constitutions Six Flags Over Texas Chapter Learning Objective By the end of this chapter, you will be able to: Summarize the social history of Texas and how it has shaped the political characteristics of the state’s population Introduction: Six Flags Over Texas Texas has a rich and diverse history. Understanding that history helps explain why contemporary Texas is the way it is. This chapter explores a tiny piece of that history.

Texas Political Culture Industries That Shaped Texas Politics Learning Objective By the end of this section, you will be able to: Summarize the various industries that helped shape Texas politics Introduction Industries that shaped Texas politics include oil, cotton, cattle, lumber, and high technology. Those industries have ebbed and flowed over time, which has been described as creative destruction. Today, Texas has a very diverse economy, with industries such as petroleum and natural gas, farming, steel, banking, health care, telecommunications, and tourism.

Federalism The Evolution of Federalism Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you will be able to: Analyze the state and federal powers in a constitutional context Introduction Federalism is a system of government that creates two relatively autonomous levels of government, each possessing authority granted to them by the national constitution. Federal systems like the one in the United States are different from unitary systems, which concentrate authority in the national government, and from confederations, which concentrate authority in subnational governments.

The Criminal Justice System in Texas The Criminal Justice System in Texas Chapter Learning Objective By the end of this chapter, you will be able to: Explain the purpose, structure, and behavior of the criminal justice system in Texas Introduction Criminal justice is the delivery of justice to those who have committed crimes. In Texas, the criminal justice system is a series of government agencies and institutions whose goals are to identify and catch unlawful individuals to inflict a form of punishment on them.

Local Government in Texas Local Government in Texas Chapter Learning Objective By the end of this chapter, you will be able to: Describe the roles and responsibilities of local political systems in Texas Introduction Voters in Texas have leaned conservative throughout the state’s history, albeit with a bit of a progressive streak. Even as the nature of the Republican and Democratic parties have changed, the basic ideology of Texas voters has been fairly reliable.

Public Policy in Texas Introduction: Public Policy in Texas Learning Objective By the end of this chapter, you will be able to: Discuss important public policy issues in Texas Introduction Public policy is the broad strategy government uses to do its job, the relatively stable set of purposive governmental behaviors that address matters of concern to some part of society. Most policy outcomes are the result of considerable debate, compromise, and refinement that happen over years and are finalized only after input from multiple institutions within government.

Voting and Political Participation in Texas Introduction: Voting and Political Participation in a Changing Texas Figure 7.1 This 1898 General Land Office map of Fort Bend County shows land grants that date back to those secured from Spain by Stephen F. Austin. Many of the original bounderies are still in place today. Image Credit: Andrew Teas, License: CC BY Fort Bend County covers an area along the Brazos River southwest of Houston.

Unit 5 Political Parties in Texas Introduction: Political Parties in Texas Chapter Learning Objective By the end of this chapter, you will be able to: Evaluate the role played by political parties in Texas Introduction At some point, most of us have found ourselves part of a group trying to solve a problem, like picking a restaurant or movie to attend or completing a big project at school or work. Members of the group probably had various opinions about what should be done.

Introduction: Interest Groups and Lobbying in Texas Overview Chapter Learning Objective By the end of this chapter, you will be able to: Evaluate the role played by interest groups in Texas Introduction: Lobbyists are Important for Democracy “Say you’re passionate about finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease. You can try to be a lone voice in the wilderness, but chances are there’s a lobbying organization that can bolster your argument with research and facts, and the ability to get that info to people who make the decisions.

The Executive Department and the Office of the Governor of Texas Introduction: Texas’ Governor and Executive Branch Overview Introduction: Texas’ Governor and Executive Branch Learning Objective By the end of this chapter, you will be able to: Explain the structure and function of the executive branch of the Texas government Introduction In its 2019 session, the Texas Legislature failed to pass a “Sunset” bill that would have continued the existence of the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners.