CHAPTER 1
Texas Culture and Diversity
Learning Objectives
Analyze the relationships among Texas political culture, its politics, and its public
policies.
Differentiate among the various types of state political cultures and the attributes
that describe the major Texas regions.
Analyze Texans’ political struggles over equal rights and evaluate their success in
Texas politics today and in their impact on the state’s political future.
Apply what you have learned about Texas political culture.
Summary Overview
Chapter 1 introduces the concept of political culture and examines the various factors
that have influenced Texas’ social and political identity. A political culture reflects the
political values and beliefs of people. It explains how people feel about their
government—their expectations of what powers it should have over their lives and
what services it should provide. Texans’ predominantly conservative political culture
is reflected in voters’ Republican affiliation and in the state’s conservative public
policies.
Texas’ size and diverse geography have contributed to its unique blend of culture.
Texas can be divided into a series of cultural regions with differing characteristics and
traditions: (1) East Texas, (2) the Gulf Coast, (3) South Texas, (4) Far West Texas, (5)
the German Hill Country, (6) West Texas, (7) the Panhandle, (8) North Texas, and (9)
Central Texas. These regions display varying combinations of moral, traditionalistic,
and individualistic cultures.
Much of the history of Texas has reflected its traditionalistic and individualistic
cultures, with women, racial and ethnic minorities, and LGBT facing significant
,struggles in their quests for equality. Women were not legally equal to men in early
Texas and their path to equality has been a winding and occasionally hesitant one.
Activists finally won the long battle for the right to vote in 1918. It was not until 1972
that women won equal rights in real estate, contracts, divorce, child custody, and
property rights. The judicial decision in Roe v. Wade that further clarified the right of
women to control their reproductive functions is still at the center of a national
controversy.
Civil rights have always been an issue, and the dominant Anglo Texans once believed
that the primary purpose for Africans and Latinos being in Texas was to supply
sources of cheap labor. Modern Texans can take no pride in the historical treatment of
both these groups, who were undereducated and exploited for their labor and lived
under a state-enforced caste system. The enduring consequences of discrimination
are still evident in Texas, as is illustrated by lower levels of health care, education, and
income.
African Texans’ struggle for legal equality reflected similar struggles being
simultaneously waged in other southern states. The battle to vote in the Democratic
primary and admission to public accommodations and public schools were settled
only by national courts or congressional intervention.
The Latino struggle in Texas was similar to that of African Texans and was resolved
only by national action. The right to form labor unions occupied much of the Latino
Movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Gays, lesbians, and transgendered Texans are now
waging similar battles for legal equality. Lawrence v. Texas (1973) gained national
significance by decriminalizing sexual activity between consenting persons of the
same gender.
Texas public policies are conservative. Per capita, only four states have lower taxes,
and no state spends less on public services than Texas. The state has more business-
friendly economic policies and culturally traditional social policies than most states.
Texas spends less on public schools than 17 other states, but none has a larger
percentage of the population without high school diplomas, additionally, only five
states score lower than Texas on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores.
Texas’s economy has become more industrialized than that of most states but
continues to maintain the lax environmental standards of the past. Texas ranks first
, among the states in emission of greenhouse gases into the air and toxins released into
the water. Texas ranks first in the amount of cancer-causing chemicals released into
the air and ranks seventh in those released into water. Overall, Texas ranks first in the
amount of hazardous waste generated.
With three of America’s ten largest cities, Texas has become the second-most
populous state and one of the most metropolitan. Texas ranks among the top ten
states in population growth, and today it has twice the percentage of Latinos in its
population as the nation as a whole. Projections of population growth and
immigration predict a shift in Texas’s population away from an Anglo-Texan plurality
to a Latino-Texan plurality. Increased political clout can come with increased
population, and Latino Texans could begin to challenge the political and economic
dominance of Anglo Texans. Regardless of the political outcome of population shifts,
Texas is becoming more culturally diverse and now has an opportunity to build on its
cultural pluralism.
Chapter Outline
I. Political Culture, Public Opinion, and Public Policy
A. Ideology
B. Partisanship
C. Public Opinion
D. Public Policy
II. Types of Political Cultures and Texas’s Political Regions
A. State Political Cultures
B. Political Culture and Political Participation
C. Texas Cultural Regions
III. Politics and Cultural Diversity
A. Texans Struggle for Equal Rights
B. Cultural Diversity Today
IV. Applying What You Have Learned About Texas Political Culture
, A. Politicians, Vigilantes and the Quest for Civil Rights in Texas
Teaching Tools
Learning Objective 1.1: Analyze the relationships among Texas political culture, its
politics, and its public policies.
Critical Thinking Question:
To what extent do the traditionalistic and individualistic subcultures still manifest
themselves in modern Texas? What are some examples of the traditionalistic subculture at
work? What are some examples of individualistic subculture at work? Are there any
examples of moralistic subculture?
Lecture Launcher:
Ask the students to list some examples of current public policies and discuss whether the
political discourse surrounding them reflects traditionalistic, individualistic, or moralistic
values. It may be useful to bring in news articles or allow the students to search online for
relevant supporting material.
In-Class Activity:
Divide the class into small groups and have them define what it means to be “Texan.” Have
the groups compare notes to determine those areas where there is a common definition and
those where there is disagreement. Link these discussions to the presence of both
traditionalistic and individualistic subcultures.
Learning Objective 1.2: Differentiate among the various types of state political cultures
and the attributes that describe the major Texas regions.
Critical Thinking Question:
It has been suggested that geography is a contributing factor to the development of political
culture. Do you believe that regional variations explain Texas’ political culture, or is there
something more to it? Consider the argument that population density is more important
than any other aspect of geography. Can you think of any way to tell if this is true?
Lecture Launcher:
Texas Culture and Diversity
Learning Objectives
Analyze the relationships among Texas political culture, its politics, and its public
policies.
Differentiate among the various types of state political cultures and the attributes
that describe the major Texas regions.
Analyze Texans’ political struggles over equal rights and evaluate their success in
Texas politics today and in their impact on the state’s political future.
Apply what you have learned about Texas political culture.
Summary Overview
Chapter 1 introduces the concept of political culture and examines the various factors
that have influenced Texas’ social and political identity. A political culture reflects the
political values and beliefs of people. It explains how people feel about their
government—their expectations of what powers it should have over their lives and
what services it should provide. Texans’ predominantly conservative political culture
is reflected in voters’ Republican affiliation and in the state’s conservative public
policies.
Texas’ size and diverse geography have contributed to its unique blend of culture.
Texas can be divided into a series of cultural regions with differing characteristics and
traditions: (1) East Texas, (2) the Gulf Coast, (3) South Texas, (4) Far West Texas, (5)
the German Hill Country, (6) West Texas, (7) the Panhandle, (8) North Texas, and (9)
Central Texas. These regions display varying combinations of moral, traditionalistic,
and individualistic cultures.
Much of the history of Texas has reflected its traditionalistic and individualistic
cultures, with women, racial and ethnic minorities, and LGBT facing significant
,struggles in their quests for equality. Women were not legally equal to men in early
Texas and their path to equality has been a winding and occasionally hesitant one.
Activists finally won the long battle for the right to vote in 1918. It was not until 1972
that women won equal rights in real estate, contracts, divorce, child custody, and
property rights. The judicial decision in Roe v. Wade that further clarified the right of
women to control their reproductive functions is still at the center of a national
controversy.
Civil rights have always been an issue, and the dominant Anglo Texans once believed
that the primary purpose for Africans and Latinos being in Texas was to supply
sources of cheap labor. Modern Texans can take no pride in the historical treatment of
both these groups, who were undereducated and exploited for their labor and lived
under a state-enforced caste system. The enduring consequences of discrimination
are still evident in Texas, as is illustrated by lower levels of health care, education, and
income.
African Texans’ struggle for legal equality reflected similar struggles being
simultaneously waged in other southern states. The battle to vote in the Democratic
primary and admission to public accommodations and public schools were settled
only by national courts or congressional intervention.
The Latino struggle in Texas was similar to that of African Texans and was resolved
only by national action. The right to form labor unions occupied much of the Latino
Movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Gays, lesbians, and transgendered Texans are now
waging similar battles for legal equality. Lawrence v. Texas (1973) gained national
significance by decriminalizing sexual activity between consenting persons of the
same gender.
Texas public policies are conservative. Per capita, only four states have lower taxes,
and no state spends less on public services than Texas. The state has more business-
friendly economic policies and culturally traditional social policies than most states.
Texas spends less on public schools than 17 other states, but none has a larger
percentage of the population without high school diplomas, additionally, only five
states score lower than Texas on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores.
Texas’s economy has become more industrialized than that of most states but
continues to maintain the lax environmental standards of the past. Texas ranks first
, among the states in emission of greenhouse gases into the air and toxins released into
the water. Texas ranks first in the amount of cancer-causing chemicals released into
the air and ranks seventh in those released into water. Overall, Texas ranks first in the
amount of hazardous waste generated.
With three of America’s ten largest cities, Texas has become the second-most
populous state and one of the most metropolitan. Texas ranks among the top ten
states in population growth, and today it has twice the percentage of Latinos in its
population as the nation as a whole. Projections of population growth and
immigration predict a shift in Texas’s population away from an Anglo-Texan plurality
to a Latino-Texan plurality. Increased political clout can come with increased
population, and Latino Texans could begin to challenge the political and economic
dominance of Anglo Texans. Regardless of the political outcome of population shifts,
Texas is becoming more culturally diverse and now has an opportunity to build on its
cultural pluralism.
Chapter Outline
I. Political Culture, Public Opinion, and Public Policy
A. Ideology
B. Partisanship
C. Public Opinion
D. Public Policy
II. Types of Political Cultures and Texas’s Political Regions
A. State Political Cultures
B. Political Culture and Political Participation
C. Texas Cultural Regions
III. Politics and Cultural Diversity
A. Texans Struggle for Equal Rights
B. Cultural Diversity Today
IV. Applying What You Have Learned About Texas Political Culture
, A. Politicians, Vigilantes and the Quest for Civil Rights in Texas
Teaching Tools
Learning Objective 1.1: Analyze the relationships among Texas political culture, its
politics, and its public policies.
Critical Thinking Question:
To what extent do the traditionalistic and individualistic subcultures still manifest
themselves in modern Texas? What are some examples of the traditionalistic subculture at
work? What are some examples of individualistic subculture at work? Are there any
examples of moralistic subculture?
Lecture Launcher:
Ask the students to list some examples of current public policies and discuss whether the
political discourse surrounding them reflects traditionalistic, individualistic, or moralistic
values. It may be useful to bring in news articles or allow the students to search online for
relevant supporting material.
In-Class Activity:
Divide the class into small groups and have them define what it means to be “Texan.” Have
the groups compare notes to determine those areas where there is a common definition and
those where there is disagreement. Link these discussions to the presence of both
traditionalistic and individualistic subcultures.
Learning Objective 1.2: Differentiate among the various types of state political cultures
and the attributes that describe the major Texas regions.
Critical Thinking Question:
It has been suggested that geography is a contributing factor to the development of political
culture. Do you believe that regional variations explain Texas’ political culture, or is there
something more to it? Consider the argument that population density is more important
than any other aspect of geography. Can you think of any way to tell if this is true?
Lecture Launcher:
