Federalism

Question 1

Enumerated Powers (Exclusive Powers)

Answer 1

Powers that only the national government can exercise. They are explicitly listed in the Constitution.

Question 2

Reserved Powers

Answer 2

Not explicitly granted to the national government by the Constitution, nor reserved for the state governments.
Establishing schools, regulating intrastate commerce, conducting elections

Question 3

Concurrent Powers

Answer 3

Powers shared by both the national and state governments
Taxation, Building Roads, Enforce laws

Question 4

Revenue Sharing

Answer 4

The process by which the federal government allocates a portion of its tax revenues to the state governments with few or no restrictions on how it can be spent.

Question 5

Revenue Sharing National Government

Answer 5

Allows states to meet local needs without federal micromanagement.

Question 6

Revenue Sharing
State Governments

Answer 6

Appreciate the flexibility it offers. They can use funds according to their specific needs.

Question 7

Block Grants

Answer 7

Federal funding provided to states for a broad purpose (e.g., education or health) without detailed federal stipulations on how it should be spent.

Question 8

Block Grants
National Government

Answer 8

Efficient way to support state initiatives without micromanaging specific projects.

Question 9

Block Grants
State Governments

Answer 9

Like the autonomy they provide while still having financial support. Allows states to design and implement programs specific to their needs.

Question 10

Categorical Grants

Answer 10

Federal grants designated for specific projects or purposes, usually requiring the state to match a portion of the funds or meet certain conditions.

Question 11

Categorical Grants
National Government

Answer 11

Prefers these because they retain more control over how states use the funds.

Question 12

Categorical Grants
State Governments

Answer 12

Might not prefer the strings attached but value the financial support for important programs.

Question 13

Mandates

Answer 13

Directives issued by the federal government that states must comply with. They often come without funding (unfunded mandates) or with limited funding, yet states must still adhere to them.

Question 14

Mandates
National Government

Answer 14

Ensures uniformity and adherence to federal standards across states.

Question 15

Mandates
State Governments

Answer 15

Often don’t prefer mandates, especially unfunded ones, as they place burdens without providing adequate resources.

Question 16

Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clauses:

Answer 16

The Due Process Clause prevents states from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.

Question 17

Landmark Case: Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Answer 17

Strengthened the power of the national government to intervene in state matters, especially in ensuring civil rights.

Question 18

Commerce Clause:

Answer 18

Grants Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce.

Question 19

Landmark Case: Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

Answer 19

Expanded federal regulatory power over a range of areas previously managed by the states.

Question 20

Necessary & Proper Clause

Answer 20

Allows Congress to make laws required for the exercise of its other powers established by the Constitution.

Question 21

Landmark Case: McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Answer 21

The court ruled that states did not have the power to tax the national bank (and, by extension the federal government)
Reinforced the supremacy clause.
Reinforced the idea of implied powers and strengthened the reach and authority of the federal government.

Question 22

Supremacy Clause

Answer 22

Federal law takes precedence over state law when there’s a conflict.

Question 23

Landmark Case: Arizona v. United States (2012)

Answer 23

Reaffirmed the precedence of federal law and the limitations of state powers in areas overseen by the federal government.

Question 24

Division of Powers and Access Points

Answer 24

Federalism creates multiple avenues for stakeholders.
A point in the policymaking process where ordinary citizens can influence government
While a lobbyist might influence federal legislation, local advocacy groups might have more sway at the state level. Depending on the issue, there might be multiple points of influence, from local city councils to the federal Congress.

Question 25

Constraints due to Concurrent Powers

Answer 25

National policymaking isn’t autonomous.
E.g., while the federal government might pass health-related legislation, the state’s role in implementing and managing healthcare can’t be overlooked.
The overlap of concurrent powers means that the national government must often negotiate, collaborate, or even concede to state interests.

Question 26

Confederation

Answer 26

When a group of people or nations form an alliance, it is called a confederation, allowing each member to govern itself but agreeing to work together for common causes.

Question 27

United States v Lopez 1995

Answer 27

The case arose after a challenge to the Gun -Free Zone Act of 1990, which banned the possession of handguns on school property.
The Court held that the commerce clause did not extend to the regulation of the carrying of handguns. This ruling marked a new phase of federalism,in which the importance of state sovereignty and local control was emphasized.

Question 28

Fourteenth Amendment’s
The Equal Protection Clause

Answer 28

ensures that states cannot deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Question 29

Federalism

Answer 29

A system where the federal government shares power with the states