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7th grade · Social Studies · Unit 12 of 13

Texas Constitution & Government

Principles, branches and local government

What your child practices

The principles of the Texas Constitution compared with the US Constitution, the legislature, plural executive and courts, county, city and special-district government, state and local revenue, and citizens' rights and responsibilities, including voting, due process and caucuses.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) teks student expectation: 7.13(A); 7.13(B); 7.14(A); 7.14(B); 7.15(A); 7.15(B); 7.23(A) · principles of the Texas Constitution, the structure of state and local government, revenue, and citizens' rights and responsibilities

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Principles: popular sovereignty (power from the people) and limited government (only the powers people give).
  2. Texas has a plural executive: several top officials are elected separately, not picked by the governor.
  3. The Texas Constitution is much longer than the US one and amended far more. Rights are in Article 1. Texas has 254 counties.

Example: What does plural executive mean? “Plural” means more than one. Several executive officials are elected on their own, not appointed by the governor. Answer: Several executive officials are elected separately

Texas Constitution & Government in Texas

In the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), this is unit 12 of 13 in 7th grade Social Studies, after Texas Places & People and before Culture, Science & Technology.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Texas Education Agency (TEA)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    A city government with an elected council that hires a professional to run daily operations is a…

    • monarchy
    • council-manager government
    • mayor-council government
    • commission government

  2. Question 2

    To vote in Texas, a citizen must be 18 and…

    • register at least 30 days before the election
    • own land
    • pass a test
    • pay a poll tax

  3. Question 3

    Texas has a plural executive, which means…

    • there are two governors
    • the governor appoints every official
    • no one leads the executive branch
    • several executive officials are elected separately, not appointed by the governor

  4. Question 4

    Republicanism means…

    • a king rules
    • the military rules
    • citizens elect representatives to make decisions for them
    • everyone votes on every law

  5. Question 5

    Separation of powers means government power is divided among…

    • voters and judges only
    • the US and Mexico
    • cities and counties
    • the legislative, executive and judicial branches

  6. Question 6

    Due process means…

    • only judges have rights
    • trials are optional
    • the government must follow fair legal procedures before taking away rights
    • the police can do anything

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