1. Three Branches of Government
Legislative Branch
Executive Branch
Judicial Branch
What they do:
Makes Laws
Enforces
Laws
Interprets Laws
Who they are:
(list names/types of government branches)
Legislature
Governor and Executive Offices
Texas Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals and Lower State Courts
Number of members/offices:
150 House
31 Senate
7 – Governor, Lt. governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Comptroller of Public Accounts and Commissioners for General Land Office, Agriculture
9 – Supreme Court,
9- Court of Criminal Appeals,
14-courts of appeal with many judges,
414-Texas District Courts,
Many in Lower state courts
Specific powers: (example)
Approving or rejecting governor appointments, reviews actions of other branches, deals how money will be spent, prisons, taxes education and environment
Make appointments, remove officials, Veto power, Commander and Chief
System of for accused to be brought before a court to be “judged”, System for disputes to be settled, decides how laws of state should be enforced

2. The Texas Constitution
How it reflects the principles of limited government

3. 7 Texas constitutions 1st written when Texas was part of Mexico
Current = 1876
Democrats* wrote it after Reconstruction ends
*majority party in South from 1860’s to 1980’s

4. Constitutions compared
US and Texas constitutions
Protect individual rights
List a Bill of Rights
State how government works
Use amendments to allow for changing times

5. Constitutional contrasts
USA
Bill Of Rights was added as amendments
Only 1st -10th are BOR
26 amendments total
Texas
Bill Of Rights on first page
Arrangement of rights different
400+ amendments

6. influence of ideas from the U.S. Constitution
on the Texas Constitution

7. The nature of Government is to seek power, therefore that government is best that governs least!

8. If any one branch can completely control another….
“(A dictator)
makes speeches to the people
promising them plenty,
gives them nothing
and takes everything.”
……..we have big problems

9. So, How to protect the states and people from the Federal government?

10. There are four ways
separation of powers
Checks and Balances
Popular Sovereignty
Individual Rights

11. 1) Separation of powers There are three branches of government
Each has specific powers that the others do not have
Some powers are “shared”

12. 2) Checks and Balances
Constitution lets each branch limit the power of the other two.
More on that later

13. “The People are the rulers”
3) Popular sovereignty
“The People are the rulers”
government exists with the consent of the governed
government has no “right” to exist.
It exists because the People allow it to.

14. 4) Individual rights listed in Bill of Rights Inalienable (meaning)
Cannot be….
“revoked”
“removed”
“voided”
They may be…
violated or abused
…If we aren’t careful

15. Remember!
The people have the right to remove or change government when, or if, it abuses our rights.