Comparing Texas Constitution and United States Constitution

Using what you know about the Texas Constitution and the United States Constitution along with the information presented above, which statement best describes a similarity between the two documents?

• Each document gives the government complete control of the railroads and land titles.

• Both constitutions require a 4/5 vote to amend and give unlimited power to the states.

• Both constitutions establish three branches of government and include a Bill of Rights.

• Each document contains provisions about voting and the right to an education.

Which principle of the Constitution does the diagram represent?

• System of checks and balances

• Separation of church and state

• Federalism

• Separation of Powers

Compare the two preambles above. Which of the following best explains why the Preamble to the Texas Constitution does not include all of the words and phrases included in the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution?

• The Texas Constitution is the highest authority of law for the state because Texas is part of the federal government.

• Fewer words are found in the Preamble to the Texas Constitution because the Texas Constitution has no impact on state lawmaking.

• The Preamble to the Texas Constitution uses fewer words because the United States Constitution has no authority in Texas.

• Because Texas is a part of the United States of America, all of the ideas included in the Preamble to the United States Constitution already apply to Texans.

By comparing these rights from the Texas and United States Constitutions, which of the following are the main ideas of each document? Select the TWO correct answers.

• All people have a right to own or keep anything they want without penalty of law or threat of seizure.

• All people have the right to their possessions.

• All people are subject to having their possessions searched and/or seized no matter where they have them located.

• All people are protected against search and seizure unless they are convicted of a crime.

• Warrants to search premises are allowable with probable cause.

How are the U.S. and Texas Constitutions similar and different?