The Texas Political Environment

Texas Myths

• Battle of the Alamo

• Texas Rangers

• The Cowboy

• Vaqueros

Texas Political Culture

• Daniel Elazar– American Federalism: A View from the States– Moralistic– Individualistic– Traditionalistic

Texas Political Culture

• The Land

• The People and Their Backgrounds– Native Americans– Mexican Americans– African-Americans– Anglo-Americans– Asian-Americans

Regional Development

• East Texas• The Gulf Coast• North Texas• West Texas• The Panhandle• Southwest Texas• South Texas• The German Hill Country• Central Texas

Figure 1.2 – Modern Texas Regions

Urban Development

• Population Movement– Urbanization– Suburbanization

• Population Growth

• Economic Development– Income– Education

• Edgewood v. Kirby

Figure 1.3 – Texas Metro-Area Populations – 1999 Estimate

Source: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, Bureau of the Census

Figure 1.4 – The Texas Triangle

Texas Culture

• Economics– NAFTA

• Cultural Diversity