This week: Constitutions.
Ideally you now have a general understanding of what a governing system is, and what a political system is. This week we will look a bit more in-depth at the governing and political systems established by the constitutions of the United States and Texas.
This applies to both the class on federal government and the class on state and local government.
The bulk of what we will do is look through these two documents:
- The Unites States Constitution.
- The Texas Constitution.
- Code of Ordinances.
- - Alvin.
- - Houston.
- - Pearland.
Lecture topics - not required, but useful. Maybe even interesting.
- Who is in charge? Divine Right vs. Popular Rule.
- Popular Sovereignty - Dual Sovereignty - Tribal Sovereignty.
- Declaration of Independence - United States.
- The Article of Confederation.
- What is a Constitution?
- Constitutions, Charters, Statutory Code, etc . . .
- The deficiencies of the confederated system.
- The Text of the U.S. Constitution.
- The 27 Amendments to the Unites States Constitution.
- The Federal System.
- The States within the United States Constitutional System.
- The Text of the Current Texas Constitution.
- The Constitutions of Texas.
__________
Terminology
Words you should get comfortable with:
constitution
indentured servant
compact
covenant
representation
delegate
trustee
mercantilism
First Continental Congress
Second Continental Congress
Confederation
federalism
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
Bicameral
Unicameral
Electoral College
separated powers
checks and balances
classical republicanism
bill of rights
incorporation
originalism
pragmatism
treaty making
bicameralism
representation
presidential electors
unitary executive
percentage of slaves
Bill of Rights
ratification
Articles of Confederation
Constitution’s 7 articles
commander – in – chief
separated powers
checks and balances
federalism
granted powers
delegated powers
implied powers
prohibited powers
inherent powers
reserved powers
elastic clauses
welfare clause
commerce clause
constitution
city charters
popular sovereignty
separated powers
checks and balances
unitary system
confederal system
federal system
federalism
enumerated powers
implied powers
concurrent powers
supremacy clause
reserved powers
relations between the states
Article 4 – US Constitution
privileges and immunities
full faith and credit
dual federalism
cooperative federalism
devolution
fiscal federalism
categorical grant
block grant
unfunded mandate
local governments
Dillon’s Rule
home rule cities
