Government and Politics in Lone Star State Essay.
Learning Objectives
2.1 Identify the functions of a constitution and place the Texas Constitution in a national comparative context.
2.2 Describe the historical influences, similarities, and differences among Texas’s first six constitutions.
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2.3 Discuss the origins of the Constitution of 1876, its general principles, and the weaknesses and restrictions it still imposes on state government today.Government and Politics in Lone Star State Essay.
2.4 Contrast the relative ease and frequency of the constitutional amendment process with the difficulty of enacting more fundamental change through the constitutional convention process.
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Constitutionalism (1 of 2)
Constitutions Have Multiple Functions.
Define the principles of a society
State the political objectives of a society
Define the relationship between the government and the governed
Set limits on what each group can do
Resolve conflict through institutional arrangements
Table 2-1 The Seven Texas Constitutions
| The Seven Texas Constitutions |
| 1827: Constitution of Coahuila y Tejas |
| Adopted in 1827 while Texas was still part of Mexico, this constitution recognized Texas as a Mexican state with Coahuila. |
| 1836: Constitution of the Republic |
| The constitution of March 16, 1836, declared independence from Mexico and constituted Texas as an independent republic.Government and Politics in Lone Star State Essay. |
| 1845: Constitution of 1845 |
| Texas was admitted to the Union under this constitution. |
| 1861: Civil War Constitution |
| After the state seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy in 1861, Texans adopted this constitution. |
| 1866: Constitution of 1866 |
| This was a short-lived constitution under which Texas sought to be readmitted to the Union after the Civil War and before the Radical Reconstructionists took control of the U.S. Congress. |
| 1869: Reconstruction Constitution |
| Power was centralized in the state government, and local governments were significantly weakened under this constitution, which reflected the sentiments of Radical Reconstructionists, not of most Texans.Government and Politics in Lone Star State Essay. |
| 1876: Texas Constitution |
| Adopted at the end of Reconstruction and amended 491 times since, this is the constitution under which Texas currently functions. Highly restrictive and antigovernment, this constitution places strict limitations on the powers of the governor, the legislature, and other state officials.Government and Politics in Lone Star State Essay. |
Table 2-2 Comparison of the Texas Constitution and the U.S. Constitution (1of 2)
| Provisions | U.S. Constitution | Texas Constitution |
| General principles | Popular sovereignty | Popular sovereignty |
| Blank cell | Limited government | Limited government |
| Blank cell | Representative government | Representative government. Government and Politics in Lone Star State Essay. |