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Government 2306

Texas Government

We shall start with a poem, and end with a song. About Government (structure)… “The Gods of the Copybook Headings” (6:11) - Rudyard Kipling 9/15/14 “The problem to be solved is, not what form of Government is

perfect, but which of the forms is least imperfect.” – James Madison

“A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from

injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to

regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall

not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.

This is the sum of good government.” -Thomas Jefferson About Texas/America (people)… “So what is Texas? The simplest answer is that it is America on steroids.” -The Economist “The Americans combine the notions of religion and liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them

conceive of one without the other.” - Alexis de Tocqueville 1/15/15 Best Rendition of America the Beautiful (4:29) - Ray Charles

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Section One Objectives

In other words, by time you take your first test you

should know/understand/be able to discuss…

Important events that took place in Texas.

Concepts Texas (and U.S.) government is based on.

The different political cultures in Texas.

The Texan Creed.

Texans attitudes towards government and the economy.

The previous Texas Constitutions.

The current Texas Constitution.

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Problems facing the United States? Pew Research Priorities for 2015

Western ISIS supporter: Americans “need to be very wary” (2:47)

1 in 6 American Men (Ages 25-54) Are Not Working

More Americans are outside the labor force entirely!

The Real Unemployment Rate U-6; High Debt, Unemployment Threaten World

Debt! This day in 2000 ; This day in 2004; This day in 2008; As we speak; and This day, 2018

Ancient Roman Road

How to Fix Our

Fiscal Crisis? (1:03)

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Is America a “City Upon a Hill?”

What brought the colonists to America?

Gutenberg’s Influence (1439)

Martin Luther’s Influence (1517)

John Calvin’s Influence (1530s)

John Winthrop (1630): “City upon a Hill” (5:14)

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Texas

“I must say as to what I have seen of Texas, it is the garden spot of the world. The best land and the best prospects for health I ever saw, and I do believe it is a fortune to any man to come here.”

-Davy Crockett: U.S. Congressman, Alamo Defender,1836 Republic! (2:42)

Date of Statehood: 12/29/1845 Capital: Austin

Population: 25,145,561 (2010)

Size: 268,597square miles

Nickname: Lone Star State Motto: Friendship

Tree: Pecan Flower: Bluebonnet

Bird: Mockingbird Song: Texas, our Texas (1:17)

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Texas History: A Chronology

Six Flags over Texas

1519: Spain

1685: France (LaSalle)

1690: Spain (Spanish missions built

& new flag)

1821: Mexico (Independence

from Spain)

1836: The Republic of Texas

1845: United States

1861: Confederate States

1865: United States

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Texas History: A Chronology

Americans come to Texas

1825: Stephen F. Austin received land grant

from Mexico and brought 300 families

1825 -1829: Grants given for 900 families

1827: Texas Rangers & American law - the Constitution of Coahuila y Tejas

1830: Mexico tries to stop further U.S.

settlement in Texas.

1835: Mexican Dictator, Santa Anna ends

local rule.

1836: 35,000 colonist in Texas.

- Tension between settlers and Mexico

- Political and economic instability in Mexico

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Revolution

War for Independence from Mexico 1836

Jan. 19th: Gen. Houston sent Col. James Bowie to remove the artillery from the

Alamo & destroy it. Instead Bowie asks for "men, money, rifles, and

cannon powder” from the Texas provisional government – few authorized.

Feb. 3rd: Officer William Travis & 30 men; 8th: Davy Crockett & volunteers.

Feb. 23rd-March 6th: Santa Anna invades & attacks the Alamo (2:38) (left).

Feb. 24th :Travis writes to the Texas Delegation asking for reinforcements. (2:53)

March 2nd: Texas leaders declare Independence.

March 3rd:The Delegation receives the letter, & sends Houston with 400 men.

They are too late. “Remember the Alamo!” (2:48)

April 21st: Battle of San Jacinto 18 min. (right) Mexico driven from Texas.

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Texas History: A Chronology Republic, Slavery, Civil War, Black Codes

1836: The Republic of Texas (4:16)Texas requests annexation by U.S.

1845: Texas becomes a part of the United States (Slavery became an issue.)

1846: Mexican War

1848: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. U.S. paid $15 million for all of Texas.

1861: Over Sam Houston’s objection, Texas joined Confederacy after

Republican Abraham Lincoln was elected president.

1865: Federal troops landed in Galveston on June 19th and declared slaves free

Hostility grew as newly freed slaves voted for Republicans and ran as

Republicans, leading to KKK activity by the Democrats.

1870-1874: Republican Governor E.J. Davis implemented policies consistent

with the Radical Republicans in D.C.

1873: Federal troops removed and Democrat Richard Coke defeated Davis.

Black Codes imposed by Democrats after Ex-Confederates “elected” to office.

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Texas History: A Chronology Jim Crow laws, Oil, Regulations

The Late Nineteenth Century

Democrats rise to power - “Jim Crow laws” and KKK mob violence

Economic recovery after Civil War rapid; King Cotton and Railroads built

The Early Twentieth Century

1901: Oil well near Spindletop erupts

Poll taxes and “White primary” limited minority participation

1920s: KKK flourished and controlled elected offices

1930: East Texas oil fields discovered

1930s: Increased production drove down oil prices. Large oil fields could not “compete” and this led to conflict between large and small producers.

1931: Railroad Commission established production regulations

1931-1935: Independent producers resisted controls and produced “hot oil”

1935: Congress passed “Hot Oil Act” making the Railroad Commission the director of Texas economy - setting production limits, thereby price floors. (Policy of ‘scarcity,’ - an economic approach criticized by many economists)

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Texas History: A Chronology Desegregation, Deregulation

The Latter Part of the Twentieth Century

Post WWII: move from rural to urban, new industries manufacturing increased,

Immigration from other states

1948: Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson “won” a Senate seat in the Democratic

primary by 87 votes, later deemed fraudulent

Democrats, still in control, passed laws requiring racial segregation

1954: Brown v. Board of Education ended segregation – Democrats resisted

Late 1950s: Democrats lose there hold on elected offices in Texas

1972: The Railroad Commission removed production restrictions on oil,

consumption increased, Texas prospered

1980s: President Reagan deregulated oil industry in the rest of the U.S., more

oil was discovered, price of oil leveled off in Texas

1990s: As petroleum industry declined, entrepreneurs created other types of

business to take its place - new industries and economic rebound!

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National economic downturn: 9/11; Hurricanes; Financial fraud - “Great

Recession” Has Texas recovered?

Modern Times Economy of Texas

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Texas as a “Democracy”

U.S. & Texas Government based on

- Religious Freedom

- Inalienable Right to

Life, Liberty, and Property (8:33)

- Political legitimacy/

Consent of the Governed (4:40)

What is Anarchy?

Types of Government:

Monarchy

Totalitarianism, Communism

Socialism

Oligarchy

Direct Democracy (Mob Rule)

Constitutional Republic (Indirect Democracy) (5:12)

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Texan Creed: Individualism - belief that each person should act according to their own

conscience as it pertains to religion, speech, right to one’s property Equality - Equality of opportunity vs. Equality of results? Liberty - belief that government should not infringe upon person’s individual

rights What is more important - Liberty or Equality (of results)? (1:25)

Constitutionalism - government bound by laws Democracy - Representative vs. Pure (Mob Rule)?

Political Cultures: Moralistic: shared values, and government activism for the common good and shared interest of everyone. Individualistic: individual achievement, and government discouraged when it attempts to redistribute wealth. Traditionalistic: hierarchical society, government activity is viewed with suspicion if it upsets the balance of power.

Texas is a mix of Individualist and Traditionalist.

Texas as a Democracy:

Texan Creed and Political Cultures

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Texas and American Federalism

Conflict between national and state governments. Example: TRCC v. EPA

National Influences International Arena

Federal grants NAFTA

Supreme Court rulings Case of Javier Suarez Medina

Congressional spending How does the shared border

Legislative mandates with Mexico effect Texas?

Declaration of war Should Texas have a foreign

Presidential orders policy?

Federal Reserve

National policies implemented by states

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The Texas Political Culture

and

Economy, Taxes, and Services

Attitudes Towards Government and the Economy are Conservative in Texas.

- Thomas Jefferson: “That government is best that governs least.”

- Minimizing government’s role leads to favorable business climate.

- Free enterprise is not social Darwinism (:52)

- Why is Texas’s laissez faire economic doctrine called “pseudo”?

Capitalism Vs. Crony Capitalism - How you get profit is important. (5:11)

- “Trickle-down Economics ” (7:11)

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The People of Texas 2010 Population: Over 25 million,

2nd largest state in population and territory

Urbanization: 88% of Texans live is cities.

Anglo population is less than 50%.

Hispanic population is increasing rapidly!

Political Impact: Hispanic Population is

Conservatives, but more vote

Democratic. Cuban Americans are more

likely to vote Republican. Both Parties

will be competing for these votes!

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The People of Texas 2010 Changes in Population

20% increase in population; (3 new US House seats awarded in 2000);

4 new US House seats awarded in 2010; Largest increase in Hispanic

community; Texas is now minority majority.