To tell the story of Texas government and politics through the voice of a native Texan writing for an audience that includes both Texans and non-Texas residents. The textbook is also designed to allow higher education government teachers a high degree of professional autonomy to teach and construct their courses consistent with their own education, training, and pedagogical style, and to give them a fair chance to do what they do best: educate students and citizens about the national and state constitutions that together create the American federal system of government. Also, this textbook tells a story of the Texas Constitution of 1876 that includes at least some of the narratives of Texans that have traditionally been overlooked in government textbooks.