Question 1

Today, the national government is NOT necessarily more favorable to the claims of minorities than state or local governments are.

Accepted Answer

While the national government has historically played a role in protecting the rights of minorities, there are instances where state or local governments may be more sympathetic to minority claims, depending on the political and social climate of the region.

Question 2

Powers reserved to the states include the creation of post offices.

Accepted Answer

The creation of post offices is a power specifically delegated to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution, not reserved for the states.

Question 3

This is a form of government in which a constitution distributes authority and powers between a central government and smaller regional governments.

Accepted Answer

Federalism is the form of government in which a constitution divides and distributes powers between a central government and smaller regional subdivisions such as states or provinces. This is in contrast to a unitary system where all power is held by a single central government.

Question 4

Federalism encourages experimentation because

Accepted Answer

Federalism allows each state to experiment with different policies and programs without risking negative impacts on the entire country. If these programs succeed, they can then be analyzed and replicated on a larger scale. Additionally, since states have different political and social climates, they are able to create programs that are tailored to their specific needs. This allows flexibility and innovation in policy-making.

Question 5

___________________ federalism stresses federalism as a system of intergovernmental relationships in delivering governmental goods and services to the people.

Accepted Answer

Cooperative federalism emphasizes the collaboration and partnership between the federal government and state/local governments in delivering services and policies to the people. It is often referred to as "marble cake federalism" due to the blending of roles and responsibilities between the different levels of government.

Question 6

The total number of governmental units in the United States is approximately

Accepted Answer

The total number of governmental units in the United States is approximately 90,000. This includes federal, state, and local governments, along with various special districts.

Question 7

______________________ implies that although federalism provides a sharing of power and authority between the national and state government, the states' share rests upon the consent and willingness of the national government.

Accepted Answer

Permissive federalism implies that the state governments' power is permitted or allowed by the national government, suggesting that any power or authority states have is ultimately dependent on the consent of the national government. This concept contrasts with others like dual or cooperative federalism, where power is more clearly divided or shared between levels of government without the implication of permission from the national level.

Question 8

Federalism allows unity without uniformity because

Accepted Answer

Federalism allows for diversity in policy-making by delegating certain powers to the states, allowing for different approaches to be taken on various issues. This can lead to more effective solutions, as well as promote citizen engagement in politics at multiple levels. However, this does not necessarily mean that there is no unity - the national government can still establish broad policies and standards that must be followed by all states, promoting a sense of national unity.

Question 9

Money awarded for broad, general purposes is called a formula grant.

Accepted Answer

Money awarded for broad, general purposes is called a block grant, while a formula grant is typically allocated to recipients based on a predetermined formula.

Question 10

An example of "cooperative" federalism would be

Accepted Answer

Cooperative federalism involves both the national government and state governments working together to fund, administer, and determine public policy programs. Therefore, the best choice would be a public policy program jointly funded, administered, and determined by both the national government and a state government, which is option D.

Question 11

Which of the following can be considered evidence to support the idea that federalism provides training for national officials?

Accepted Answer

Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and George W.Bush all served as governors before becoming President of the United States. This exemplifies how federalism can provide training for national officials as they gain experience and knowledge of governance through their work at the state level.

Question 12

Centralists favor state or local action rather than national action.

Accepted Answer

Centralists believe in the concentration of power in the central government and therefore favor national action rather than state or local action.

Question 13

The National Supremacy Clause is interpreted to mean

Accepted Answer

The National Supremacy Clause states that any federal law or action takes precedence over conflicting state laws or actions. This means that states may not override national policies.

Question 14

In a ___________ system of government, sovereign nations create a central government through a constitutional compact, but carefully limit the government's authority and do NOT give it the power to regulate the conduct of individuals directly.

Accepted Answer

This type of government system where sovereign nations create a central government through a constitutional compact, but limit its authority is known as a confederation. In a confederation, the power remains with the individual states or countries, and the central government only has the authority that the member states choose to give it. The central government cannot regulate the conduct of individuals directly.

Question 15

The text uses the term "federalism" or "federal system" to refer to

Accepted Answer

The term "federalism" or "federal system" refers to a system where power is shared between the central/national government and the state/provincial governments. Therefore, the correct choice would be C, which refers to state and national governments.

Question 16

In this system of government, a constitution vests all governmental power in the central government.

Accepted Answer

The system of government described is a unitary system where all power is centralized in the central government, controlled by the constitution. In a federal system (A), power is divided between the central government and the state/provincial governments. In a constitutional system (C), the powers of the government are limited by a constitution, but the power may be shared between levels of government. Socialistic (D) and confederation (E) systems have different principles entirely, and do not apply here.

Question 17

In 1787, federalism was a compromise between centrists, who supported a strong national government, and those who

Accepted Answer

Federalism was a compromise between centrists who supported a strong national government and those who favored decentralization. Federalism aimed to strike a balance between centralized power and state power by dividing power between the national and state governments. This way, both central and state governments had their separate powers and responsibilities.

Question 18

Federal grants expand the growth of federal agencies.

Accepted Answer

Federal grants are typically aimed at state and local governments, organizations, or individuals for specific projects or purposes, not directly for expanding federal agencies themselves.

Question 19

Chief Justice John Marshall set forth the doctrine of national supremacy.

Accepted Answer

Chief Justice John Marshall did set forth the doctrine of national supremacy in the landmark case of McCulloch v. Maryland in 1819.

Question 20

National and state governments should NOT interfere with each other's activities, according to ____________________ federalism.

Accepted Answer

Dual federalism, also known as layered cake federalism, emphasizes that the powers and responsibilities of the state governments are separate from those of the national government. This means that the two levels of government should not interfere with each other's activities. Cooperative federalism, on the other hand, encourages cooperation and collaboration between the national and state governments. Fiscal federalism refers to the distribution of financial resources between the national and state governments. Therefore, the correct answer is A.

Quiz 3: American Federalism