GOV 310L Final Examination with
Guaranteed Pass Solutions 2026
Updated.
Why does Texas have a constitution? - Answer because of federalism
Why was the Articles of Confederation written? - Answer After the Revolutionary War, the
colonists had to decide how to organize themselves.
After winning the Revolutionary War, what document did the colonists write to organize
themselves? - Answer The Articles of Confederation
Basic things that the Constitution does - Answer -define relationship between gov't and the
people
-apportion power and responsibility among gov'tal branches
-specify how individuals are to be selected for office
-identify how rules may be changed
Catch of making rules - Answer Rules are not neutral, they advantage certain types of people
over others.
Problems with the Articles of Confederation - Answer -Congress had no power to tax or
regulate commerce, so this means states could and did coin their own money
-states conducted their own foreign policies
-basically AofC were not strong enough
Why did they write the Articles of Confederation to be so weak? - Answer It was a reaction to
a unitary system used in Britain where power was in the central government, so they wanted to
steer away from this.
What was the 1st "constitution" of the original colonies? - Answer Articles of Confederation
What impact did the Articles of Confederation have on the economy? - Answer The economy
suffered from it because Congress had no power to tax or regulate commerce.
What caused the founders to meet to "correct" the Articles of Confederation - Answer Shay's
Rebellion
,Shay's Rebellion - Answer farmers kept getting thrown in debt jail and this angered people
into a rebellion. The rebellion wasn't completed, but it made them gather in Philadelphia to
"correct" the Articles of Confederation, however this turned into them just starting over.
General consensus among the delegates for a new constitution - Answer -supported stronger
national gov't, but didn't want it to be too strong
-conviction that gov't shouldn't just cater to certain interests over others
When were State Constitutions created. - Answer During the Revolutionary War.
What was the largest concern when making the new constitution? - Answer legislative
tyranny aka making central government too strong, so they worked towards checks and
balances
The main disagreement for the new constitution - Answer big state vs. little state
Virginia plan vs. NJ plan
Virginia Plan - Answer (big state)
-bicameral legislature
-unitary executive elected by legislature
-national judiciary
New Jersey Plan - Answer (little state)
-unicameral legislative (equal representation)
-executive committee (removable by majority states)
-judiciary - state courts were fine
The Great Compromise - Answer -bicameral legislature
(HoR population and Senate equal rep)
-president elected by electoral college and removable by nat. legislature
-supreme court appointed by president and approved by senate
How and when would the president not be elected by the electoral college? - Answer The
House of Representatives would choose the president if no candidate receives the majority of
electoral college votes (270)
,Was the ratification of the Constitution easy? - Answer No, because of anti-federalists. To
ratify they offered the Bill of Rights.
What were Federalists working towards? - Answer -ratification of the Constitution
-weaker state government
-indirect election
-longer terms
-gov't by elite
-not concerned about individual liberties
What were the anti-federalists working towards - Answer -wanted to keep Articles of
Confederation
-strong protections of individual liberties
-gov't by common man
Ways to Amend the Constitution - Answer 2/3 Congress--> 3/4 State Legislatures
2/3 National Convention --> 3/4 State Conventions
Why was the electoral college created? - Answer The electoral college was created because
fear of popular tyranny.
What did the Texas Annexation Vote of 1845 do? - Answer It ended the Republic of Texas by
joining the U.S.
History of Texas Constitutions: - Answer -Declaration of Independence (freedom from
Mexico)
-Constitution of the Republic of Texas (we were our own country for a little)
-Constitution of Texas 1845 (we joined U.S!)
-1861 Seceded from U.S. and joined Confederate States
-1866 Rejoined U.S.
Why is the current Texas Constitution the second longest constitution in the U.S.? - Answer
Because it is way easier to amend than the U.S. Constitution
Why would the Texas Constitution repeat things that are already stated in the U.S. Constitution?
- Answer The U.S. Constitution protects us from the federal government and not the state
government.
, The Texan Constitution does not have a "necessary and proper clause" this means - Answer
the state only has the powers that are explicitly granted to it by the Texas Constitution.
The branches of the Texas Government - Answer -legislature is bicameral and cannot incur
debt
-plural executives; governor and LT. gov are independently elected
-judiciary; two "supreme courts"
How to amend the TEXAS Constitution: - Answer -proposal by 2/3 legislature
-ratification by majority citizen vote in popular election
Definition of Federalism - Answer a political system in which power is divided and shared
between national/central gov't and the states in order to limit power of gov't. This includes
concurrent power as well.
When a party is not in power what arguments do they make about the government? - Answer
They argue for local control and devolution of national authority to states.
When did each party have power? - Answer 1920-1990s: Repub
~1940s-1994: Democrats
1994-2008: Repubs
2008-2014: Democrats
Exclusive powers - Answer powers given to a certain type of government over another (like
given to national gov't and not the state)
what are the types of government powers in the federal system? - Answer -exclusive
-shared (concurrent)
-enumerated
-denied
-implied "necessary and proper"
Enumerated powers - Answer specific things that certain governments can do: war, taxes,
commerce given to national gov't
Guaranteed Pass Solutions 2026
Updated.
Why does Texas have a constitution? - Answer because of federalism
Why was the Articles of Confederation written? - Answer After the Revolutionary War, the
colonists had to decide how to organize themselves.
After winning the Revolutionary War, what document did the colonists write to organize
themselves? - Answer The Articles of Confederation
Basic things that the Constitution does - Answer -define relationship between gov't and the
people
-apportion power and responsibility among gov'tal branches
-specify how individuals are to be selected for office
-identify how rules may be changed
Catch of making rules - Answer Rules are not neutral, they advantage certain types of people
over others.
Problems with the Articles of Confederation - Answer -Congress had no power to tax or
regulate commerce, so this means states could and did coin their own money
-states conducted their own foreign policies
-basically AofC were not strong enough
Why did they write the Articles of Confederation to be so weak? - Answer It was a reaction to
a unitary system used in Britain where power was in the central government, so they wanted to
steer away from this.
What was the 1st "constitution" of the original colonies? - Answer Articles of Confederation
What impact did the Articles of Confederation have on the economy? - Answer The economy
suffered from it because Congress had no power to tax or regulate commerce.
What caused the founders to meet to "correct" the Articles of Confederation - Answer Shay's
Rebellion
,Shay's Rebellion - Answer farmers kept getting thrown in debt jail and this angered people
into a rebellion. The rebellion wasn't completed, but it made them gather in Philadelphia to
"correct" the Articles of Confederation, however this turned into them just starting over.
General consensus among the delegates for a new constitution - Answer -supported stronger
national gov't, but didn't want it to be too strong
-conviction that gov't shouldn't just cater to certain interests over others
When were State Constitutions created. - Answer During the Revolutionary War.
What was the largest concern when making the new constitution? - Answer legislative
tyranny aka making central government too strong, so they worked towards checks and
balances
The main disagreement for the new constitution - Answer big state vs. little state
Virginia plan vs. NJ plan
Virginia Plan - Answer (big state)
-bicameral legislature
-unitary executive elected by legislature
-national judiciary
New Jersey Plan - Answer (little state)
-unicameral legislative (equal representation)
-executive committee (removable by majority states)
-judiciary - state courts were fine
The Great Compromise - Answer -bicameral legislature
(HoR population and Senate equal rep)
-president elected by electoral college and removable by nat. legislature
-supreme court appointed by president and approved by senate
How and when would the president not be elected by the electoral college? - Answer The
House of Representatives would choose the president if no candidate receives the majority of
electoral college votes (270)
,Was the ratification of the Constitution easy? - Answer No, because of anti-federalists. To
ratify they offered the Bill of Rights.
What were Federalists working towards? - Answer -ratification of the Constitution
-weaker state government
-indirect election
-longer terms
-gov't by elite
-not concerned about individual liberties
What were the anti-federalists working towards - Answer -wanted to keep Articles of
Confederation
-strong protections of individual liberties
-gov't by common man
Ways to Amend the Constitution - Answer 2/3 Congress--> 3/4 State Legislatures
2/3 National Convention --> 3/4 State Conventions
Why was the electoral college created? - Answer The electoral college was created because
fear of popular tyranny.
What did the Texas Annexation Vote of 1845 do? - Answer It ended the Republic of Texas by
joining the U.S.
History of Texas Constitutions: - Answer -Declaration of Independence (freedom from
Mexico)
-Constitution of the Republic of Texas (we were our own country for a little)
-Constitution of Texas 1845 (we joined U.S!)
-1861 Seceded from U.S. and joined Confederate States
-1866 Rejoined U.S.
Why is the current Texas Constitution the second longest constitution in the U.S.? - Answer
Because it is way easier to amend than the U.S. Constitution
Why would the Texas Constitution repeat things that are already stated in the U.S. Constitution?
- Answer The U.S. Constitution protects us from the federal government and not the state
government.
, The Texan Constitution does not have a "necessary and proper clause" this means - Answer
the state only has the powers that are explicitly granted to it by the Texas Constitution.
The branches of the Texas Government - Answer -legislature is bicameral and cannot incur
debt
-plural executives; governor and LT. gov are independently elected
-judiciary; two "supreme courts"
How to amend the TEXAS Constitution: - Answer -proposal by 2/3 legislature
-ratification by majority citizen vote in popular election
Definition of Federalism - Answer a political system in which power is divided and shared
between national/central gov't and the states in order to limit power of gov't. This includes
concurrent power as well.
When a party is not in power what arguments do they make about the government? - Answer
They argue for local control and devolution of national authority to states.
When did each party have power? - Answer 1920-1990s: Repub
~1940s-1994: Democrats
1994-2008: Repubs
2008-2014: Democrats
Exclusive powers - Answer powers given to a certain type of government over another (like
given to national gov't and not the state)
what are the types of government powers in the federal system? - Answer -exclusive
-shared (concurrent)
-enumerated
-denied
-implied "necessary and proper"
Enumerated powers - Answer specific things that certain governments can do: war, taxes,
commerce given to national gov't
