TEXAS SINCE WORLD WAR II. The last five decades of the twentieth century witnessed the transformation of Texas from a rural and agricultural state to an urban, industrial one. The changes caused new problems and exacerbated old ones for a population grounded in agrarian values. Two-party politics emerged as the state's electorate turned from a near absolute allegiance to its Southern Democratic heritage to one that frequently elected Republican officeholders. The changing demography of the state intensified political rivalries. The high birthrate among Hispanics and their increased migration into Texas made them the state's largest minority ethnic group. Mexican Americans joined African Americans in demanding a more positive political response to the needs of minorities. The federal government abetted their cause through court decisions and legislation that struck down de jure segregation. The sex ratio of the population changed, as women outnumbered men in Texas by 1960. Growing feminism, increasing opportunities in the marketplace, and the developing urban environment led many women to renounce the political, social, and economic roles that they had had previously. Interstate migrations also shaped a different Texas. The state's location in the Sun Belt and its economic boom during the 1970s brought newcomers from outside the rural and Southern traditions. These joined with intrastate migrants in large population centers and forced the legislature to address the needs of an urban society.
