Question 1

A confederation is a form of government best described as which of the following?

Accepted Answer

In a confederation, the lower level governments, such as states or provinces, retain primary authority and the central government has limited power, often only what the lower levels agree to delegate.

Question 2

Debates over federalism ______.

Accepted Answer

Debates over federalism have not been fully resolved, as evidenced by ongoing disputes over issues like the Affordable Care Act, marijuana legalization, and immigration laws, which highlight the tension between state and federal powers.

Question 3

The Constitution opened the door to nationalization by granting the federal government ultimate power to determine within certain bounds which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The Constitution grants the federal government the power to determine the extent of its authority with regard to the states, primarily through the Supremacy Clause and the Necessary and Proper Clause, allowing it to nationalize certain powers.

Question 4

Which of the following is true about the states and amending the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

Two-thirds of the states can call for a constitutional convention to propose amendments to the Constitution, as outlined in Article V of the U.S. Constitution.

Question 5

In the 19th century, the Senate had both the motive and the means to defend state prerogatives against national encroachment because of which of the following?

Accepted Answer

State legislatures chose senators, which meant that senators were directly accountable to state governments, and each state had equal representation in the Senate, giving them the means to defend state interests.

Question 6

Who is the ultimate arbiter of controversies involving American federalism?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Supreme Court is the ultimate arbiter of controversies involving American federalism, as it has the authority to interpret the Constitution and resolve disputes between states and the federal government.

Question 7

The Seventeenth Amendment, which came about amid persistent and widespread charges of bribery, mandated which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The Seventeenth Amendment mandated the direct and popular election of U.S. senators by the people, rather than being chosen by state legislatures, to reduce corruption and increase democratic participation.

Question 8

In unitary systems, which of the following is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

In a unitary system, the national government holds the primary authority, and any administrative divisions (like local governments) exercise only powers that the central government chooses to delegate.

Question 9

American federalism is which of the following?

Accepted Answer

American federalism is a two-tiered system comprising the national government and the state governments, where both levels have distinct powers and responsibilities.

Question 10

Supporters of states' rights argue that ______.

Accepted Answer

Supporters of states' rights believe that decentralization allows states to tailor policies to their residents' needs and encourages innovation by allowing states to experiment with different approaches.

Question 11

Special districts, such as school districts, water boards, and port authorities are established by ______.

Accepted Answer

Special districts are established by states, which grant them the authority to operate independently for specific functions like education, water management, or transportation.

Question 12

Which of the following made it clear that local governments are mere "creatures of the state"?

Accepted Answer

Dillon's Rule establishes that local governments are subordinate to state governments, meaning they only have powers expressly granted to them by the state.

Question 13

Why did efforts to partition federal and state responsibilities into separate and self-contained spheres fail?

Accepted Answer

Efforts to partition responsibilities failed because the government increasingly took on more roles and responsibilities, making it difficult to maintain separate spheres.

Question 14

Article IV of the Constitution requires that the national government ensure which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution, known as the Guarantee Clause, requires the national government to ensure that every state in the union has a republican form of government.

Question 15

Under what circumstances could Congress modify an established state by, for example, cutting it in half to create a new state?

Accepted Answer

According to the U.S. Constitution, specifically Article IV, Section 3, Congress can modify an established state only with the consent of the state legislature concerned.

Question 16

Local governments in the United States ______.

Accepted Answer

Local governments are not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution, and thus they do not have independent constitutional authority. They derive their powers from the state governments.

Question 17

______ occurs when national and state governments jointly supply services to the citizenry.

Accepted Answer

Shared federalism occurs when national and state governments work together to provide services to citizens, sharing responsibilities and resources.

Question 18

Which of the following is one of the general conditions of a federal system?

Accepted Answer

In a federal system, the constitution typically protects the autonomy and powers of each level of government, preventing encroachment by other levels.

Question 19

Dual federalism leaves the states and the national government to preside over which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Dual federalism is characterized by the national and state governments operating independently in their own areas of authority, with mutually exclusive spheres of sovereignty.

Question 20

In a federal system, the constitution divides authority between which of the following?

Accepted Answer

In a federal system, authority is divided between two or more distinct levels of government, typically national and regional governments.

Quiz 3: Federalism