Question 1

The main issue in the 1824 case Gibbons v.Ogden was the question of the state of New York's power to grant a monopoly to

Accepted Answer

The main issue in the 1824 case Gibbons v. Ogden was the question of the state of New York's power to grant a monopoly to Robert Fulton's steamboat company to operate between New York and New Jersey. The case centered around whether the federal government's power to regulate interstate commerce superseded the state's power to grant such monopolies. The Supreme Court's decision in favor of Gibbons established the federal government's authority over interstate commerce.

Question 2

In McCulloch v.Maryland,the Supreme Court recognized and reinforced the __________ clause.

Accepted Answer

In McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court recognized and reinforced the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution, which establishes that federal law is supreme over state law. This case involved a dispute between the state of Maryland and the Second Bank of the United States, with Maryland attempting to impose a tax on the bank in order to protect its own state-chartered banks. The Supreme Court ruled that Maryland could not impose the tax on the federal bank, citing the supremacy clause as a key factor in its decision.

Question 3

The obligations imposed on state government by the national government without any funding at all have come to be known as

Accepted Answer

The term "unfunded mandates" refers to the obligations or requirements that are imposed by the national government on state governments without providing any funding to implement those policies. These mandates can create a significant financial burden on state governments, as they must find ways to cover the costs associated with implementing the policies.

Question 4

When the Supreme Court ruled that a state could not tax the Bank of the United States in McCulloch v.Maryland,it said that when a state law conflicts with a federal law,the state law should be deemed invalid.This exemplifies the application of the

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court ruling in McCulloch v. Maryland exemplifies the application of the supremacy clause, which establishes that federal laws take precedence over state laws in the case of a conflict. Therefore, the state law of Maryland, which attempted to tax the Bank of the United States, was deemed invalid as it conflicted with federal law.

Question 5

In McCulloch v.Maryland,Chief Justice John Marshall argued that an agency created by Congress could not be put out of business by a state legislature,stating that

Accepted Answer

Chief Justice John Marshall argued that the power to tax is the power to destroy and that a state could not use its power to tax to destroy an agency created by Congress. This became a landmark case in the history of American federalism and established the supremacy of federal law over state law.

Question 6

Morton Grodzins,a noted scholar of federalism,characterized the shift to post-New Deal cooperative federalism as a move from

Accepted Answer

Morton Grodzins described the shift to post-New Deal cooperative federalism as a move from "layer cake federalism," where powers are clearly separated, to "marble cake federalism," where there is a mixing of powers, resources, and programs between the national and state governments.

Question 7

The system of supportive relations among national,state,and local governments since the 1930s is often referred to as

Accepted Answer

The term "cooperative federalism" refers to the system of partnerships and collaboration among national, state, and local governments in response to societal and economic challenges since the New Deal era. This approach emphasizes intergovernmental cooperation, shared responsibilities, and flexibility in policymaking and implementation. It is characterized by the use of grants-in-aid, mandates, preemption, and other tools to promote common goals and standards across different levels of government. This system has evolved over time and has been shaped by various factors, such as changes in constitutional interpretation, political ideology, social movements, and fiscal constraints.

Question 8

In 1973,at the height of the oil shortage,a national speed limit of 55 miles per hour was imposed on the states by congressional legislation that threatened withdrawal of highway funds if state legislatures failed to lower allowable speeds.This is an example of encouraging state behavior through

Accepted Answer

The answer of In 1973,at the height of the oil...

Question 9

A new federal program administered by the U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development allows city governments in cities having a population over 250,000 to submit proposals outlining local plans to provide housing assistance for low-income families.The federal agency would then evaluate the proposals and allocate funds on a competitive basis.This kind of funding program would best be classified as a __________ grant.

Accepted Answer

Project grants are competitive funding programs where proposals are submitted and evaluated, and funds are allocated based on the merit of the proposals.

Question 10

The federal government created block grant programs to

Accepted Answer

Block grants provide states with more discretion over how to use federal funds because they are given a lump sum of money to use for a specific purpose, rather than strict guidelines and regulations that come with categorical grants. This allows states to tailor programs to meet their specific needs and priorities.

Question 11

Which of these is NOT an example of an unfunded mandate imposed on the states by the federal government?

Accepted Answer

The Defense of Marriage Act does not impose any direct or indirect costs on the states, making it not an example of an unfunded mandate. The other options all either require states to spend money to implement new regulations or mandates (A, C, and D) or affect the states' ability to set their own policies on certain issues (E).

Question 12

The type of federalism that occurs when the national government actually threatens to withhold grant money unless state and local governments conform to national standards is known as __________ federalism.

Accepted Answer

Regulated federalism is when the national government sets regulations and standards that state and local governments must follow in order to receive grant money. The national government can use this grant money as a tool to influence state and local policy.

Question 13

Grant programs in which state and local governments submit proposals to federal agencies and for which funding is provided on a competitive basis are known as __________ grants.

Accepted Answer

Project grants are awarded based on the submission of proposals by state and local governments (or other entities) to federal agencies, and funding is provided on a competitive basis.

Question 14

Funds that are given by Congress to states and localities and that are earmarked by law for specific categories are known as

Accepted Answer

Categorical grants-in-aid are funds that are given by Congress to states and localities for specific categories such as education, healthcare, and transportation. These funds come with restrictions and guidelines on how they can be used, and are often used to influence state and local government policies.

Question 15

A kind of bribe,or "carrot," that Congress gives in the form of money to state and local governments with the condition that the money will be spent for a particular purpose as designed by Congress is called a

Accepted Answer

Grant-in-aid is a form of funding given by Congress to state and local governments with specific conditions regarding how the money can be used. It is often seen as a way for Congress to incentivize states and localities to take certain actions, such as funding education or implementing certain policies.

Question 16

The Supreme Court case that firmly defined interstate commerce was

Accepted Answer

The case of Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) established the principle of interstate commerce and expanded the powers of Congress in regulating commerce among states. Chief Justice John Marshall's opinion in the case established that the Commerce Clause of the Constitution included both interstate and intrastate commerce and gave Congress the power to regulate it.

Question 17

Grant programs in which a set of distributive criteria established by law is used to determine the amount of federal funds that a state or local government will receive are known as __________ grants.

Accepted Answer

Formula grants distribute funds based on a predefined formula or set of criteria established by law. This formula may take into account factors such as population size or poverty rates, and the resulting funding allocation is intended to be distributed fairly among eligible recipients. In contrast, project grants are awarded based on a competitive application process, entitlement grants guarantee a certain level of funding to eligible recipients, and community redevelopment grants provide funding for specific development projects in designated areas. Tax remuneration is not a type of grant program but refers to refunds or compensation provided to taxpayers for overpayment or other reasons.

Question 18

Which presidents advocated converting federal programs into block grants as a strategy labeled the New Federalism?

Accepted Answer

The New Federalism was advocated by Presidents Nixon and Reagan, who sought to shift power and responsibility from the federal government to state and local governments by converting federal programs into block grants. This approach was seen as a way to reduce the size and scope of the federal government while giving states greater control over how they used federal funds.

Question 19

Which term describes federal subsidies of special state and local activities?

Accepted Answer

Grants-in-aid refer to federal subsidies provided to special state and local activities. Mandates refer to federal requirements imposed on state and local governments, bonus payments and apportionments do not relate to federal subsidies, and revenue allocations refer to the distribution of tax revenues among different levels of government.

Question 20

A type of federalism existing since the New Deal era in which grants-in-aid have been used strategically to encourage states and localities (without commanding them) to pursue nationally defined goals is known as __________ federalism.

Accepted Answer

Cooperative federalism involves the federal government working closely with state and local governments to achieve common goals through funding programs and providing resources. Grants-in-aid are a key component of cooperative federalism, and they are used to incentivize states and localities to pursue nationally defined goals without commanding them. This type of federalism has been in place since the New Deal era, when the federal government began using grants-in-aid more strategically to encourage cooperation among different levels of government.

Quiz 3: Federalism and the Separation of Powers