Unit 1B Review

Question 1

Define Federalism:

Answer 1

Federalism is a system of government in which the same territory is controlled by two
levels of government.

Question 2

What is a block grant?

Answer 2

a grant from central government which a local authority can allocate to a wide range of
services.

Question 3

What is a categorical grant?

Answer 3

Categorical grants are funds the federal government gives to state and local
governments to spend on specific activities within specific programs.

Question 4

What is a federal mandate?

Answer 4

A federal mandate is an order or requirement by the federal government that a state, or
a local unit of government take some positive action.

Question 5

What decision was reached in U.S. v. Lopez?

Answer 5

the federal government cannot base a law prohibiting gun possession near schools on
the Commerce Clause.

Question 6

What are reserved powers?

Answer 6

a political power reserved by a constitution to the exclusive jurisdiction of a specified
political authority.

Question 7

What are concurrent powers?

Answer 7

powers which are shared by both the federal government and state governments.

Question 8

What are enumerated powers?

Answer 8

the powers granted to the Federal government, and specifically Congress.

Question 9

What event reshaped the relationship between the Federal Government and State
Governments?

Answer 9

creating two sovereign powers

Question 10

What decision was reached in McCulloch vs. Maryland?

Answer 10

the Federal Government had the right and power to set up a Federal bank and that
states did not have the power to tax the Federal Government.

Question 11

What is Judicial Review?

Answer 11

the ability of the Court to declare a Legislative or Executive act in violation of the
Constitution

Question 12

Define Dual Federalism.

Answer 12

when the different levels of government operate with a distinct division of power.

Question 13

What are implied powers?

Answer 13

political powers granted to the United States government that aren’t explicitly stated in
the Constitution.

Question 14

Define ex post facto laws (From Unit 1A):

Answer 14

a criminal statute that punishes actions retroactively, thereby criminalizing conduct that
was legal when originally performed.

Question 15

Describe the Commerce Clause:

Answer 15

gives Congress the power “to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the
several states, and with the Indian tribes.”

Question 16

Define Cooperative Federalism:

Answer 16

a type of federalism in which federal and state governments work together to achieve
goals or projects.

Question 17

Describe the Supremacy Clause:

Answer 17

the Constitution and federal laws (of the types listed in the first part of the Clause) take
priority over any conflicting rules of state law.

Question 18

Describe the Full Faith & Credit Clause:

Answer 18

shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of
every other State.

Question 19

Describe the Necessary & Proper Clause:

Answer 19

to pass special laws to require other departments of the government to prosecute or
adjudicate particular claims, whether asserted by the government itself or by private
persons.

Question 20

Describe the Establishment Clause:

Answer 20

prohibits the government from “establishing” a religion.

Question 21

Describe the Due Process Clause:

Answer 21

prohibits arbitrary deprivation of “life, liberty, or property” by the government except as
authorized by law.

Question 22

Describe the 9th Amendment:

Answer 22

all the rights not listed in the Constitution belong to the people, not the government.

Question 23

Does the role, scale, and responsibility of the government change as societal needs
change?

Answer 23

creating and enforcing the rules of a society, defense, foreign affairs, the economy, and
public services.

Question 24

Describe the 10th Amendment:

Answer 24

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to
the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.