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Please view the map provided to you for this activity. This map consists of numerous federal government-buildings in our U.S. Capital, Washington, D.C.  For this activity, you are going to be analyzing this map. You will be studying this map and all of its details. Follow steps 1-4 on your Routine for Analyzing Maps Activity Sheet. Make sure to complete all of the steps before turning it in to your teacher.

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Get with your social studies partner to compare and contrast Federal, State, and Shared Powers. Create a Venn Diagram on a colored piece of paper (provided by your teacher) to sort, cut, and paste your powers-cards. (FYI: the cards are jumbled up!) You may use your interactive notebooks and the seven sources provided to you for this activity, to complete the activity.

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Study the artifact (photograph) below for two minutes. Examine the photo, individuals in the photo, and individual items in the photo Next, focus on different parts of the photo to see what new details you can find. Use the chart/activity sheet to list people, objects, and activities you see in the photo. Based on what you observed, list three things you might infer from the photo. Be sure to think about the photo and what may be going on.

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Read the PBS article/source over State Powers, Federalism, and the Constitution. After studying over this source and its information, think about an alternative perspective. Complete the guided writing activity. Answer the following question, "What if the states had no power?", in one paragraph. Please use the source provided to help you with your answer.

Brain Activators:
-What if the states had no power?
-How would they feel?
-What would happen?
-Would our government be the same?

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Please read each of the sources and information located within this document. After reading the information, begin its activities. One of the activities asks you to create a cartoon. Carefully read the sources and information to help guide you through these activities.

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This map consists of numerous federal government-buildings located at our U.S. Capital, Washington, D.C., including the Capitol building.

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Print-friendly Map of the Capitol Campus

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Below is a print-friendly map of the buildings and grounds cared for by the Architect of the Capitol.

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c. The federal system of government in the U.S. (federal powers, state powers, and shared powers).

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When creating the Constitution and federal system of government, Federalists wanted a stronger central government, whereas Anti-Federalists wanted stronger local and state governments.

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Comparison chart

Anti-Federalist

Federalist

Introduction

In U.S. history, anti-federalists were those who opposed the development of a strong federal government and the ratification of the Constitution in 1788, preferring instead for power to remain in the hands of state and local governments.

In U.S. history, federalists wanted a stronger national government and the ratification of the Constitution to help properly manage the debt and tensions following the American Revolution.

Position on Fiscal and Monetary Policy

Felt that states were free agents that should manage their own revenue and spend their money as they saw fit.

Felt that many individual and different fiscal and monetary policies led to economic struggles and national weakness. Favored central banking and central financial policies.

Position on Constitution

Opposed until inclusion of the Bill of Rights.

Proposed and supported.

Prominent Figures

Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams.

Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, John Jay, John Adams.

Anti-Federalist vs. Federalist Debate

The American Revolution was a costly war and left the colonies in an economic depression. The debt and remaining tensions-perhaps best summarized by a conflict in Massachusetts known as Shays' Rebellion-led some founding political members in the U.S. to desire for more concentrated federal power. The thought was that this concentrated power would allow for standardized fiscal and monetary policy and for more consistent conflict management.

However, a more nationalistic identity was the antithesis of some founding political members' ideals for the developing states. A more centralized American power seemed reminiscent of the monarchical power of the English crown that had so recently and controversially been defeated. The potential consequences of centralized fiscal and monetary policy were especially frightening for some, reminding them of burdensome and unfair taxation. Anti-federalists were closely tied to rural landowners and farmers who were conservative and staunchly independent.

The most important parts of this debate were decided in the 1700s and 1800s in U.S. history, and the Federalist Party dissolved centuries ago, but the battles between federalist and anti-federalist ideologies continue into the present day in left and right wing American politics. To better understand the history behind this ongoing ideological debate, watch the following video from author John Green's U.S. history Crash Course series.

Articles of Confederation

Prior to the Constitution, there was the Articles of Confederation, a 13-articled agreement between the 13 founding states that covered issues of state sovereignty, (theoretical) equal treatment of citizenry, congressional development and delegation, international diplomacy, armed forces, fund raising, supermajority lawmaking, the U.S.-Canadian relationship, and war debt.

The Articles of Confederation was a very weak agreement on which to base a nation-so weak, in fact, that the document never once refers to the United States of America as being part of a national government, but rather "a firm league of friendship" between states. This is where the concept of the "United States"-i.e., a group of roughly and ideologically united, individually ruling bodies-comes from in the naming of the country. The Articles of Confederation took years for the 13 states to ratify, with Virginia being the first to do so in 1777 and Maryland being the last in 1781.

With the Articles of Confederation, Congress became the only form of federal government, but it was crippled by the fact that it could not fund any of the resolutions it passed. While it could print money, there was no solid regulation of this money, which led to swift and deep depreciation. When Congress agreed to a certain rule, it was primarily up to the states to individually agree to fund it, something they were not required to do. Though Congress asked for millions of dollars in the 1780s, they received less than 1.5 million over the course of three years, from 1781 to 1784.

This inefficient and ineffective governance led to economic woes and eventual, if small scale, rebellion. As George Washington's chief of staff, Alexander Hamilton saw firsthand the problems caused by a weak federal government, particularly those which stemmed from a lack of centralized fiscal and monetary policies. With Washington's approval, Hamilton assembled a group of nationalists at the 1786 Annapolis Convention (also known as the "Meeting of Commissioners to Remedy Defects of the Federal Government"). Here, delegates from several states wrote a report on the conditions of the federal government and how it needed to be expanded if it was to survive its domestic turmoil and international threats as a sovereign nation.

Constitution

In 1788, the Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation, greatly expanding the powers of the federal government. With its current 27 amendments, the U.S. Constitution remains the supreme law of the United States of America, allowing it to define, protect, and tax its citizenry. Its development and relatively quick ratification was perhaps just as much the result of widespread dissatisfaction with a weak federal government as it was support for the constitutional document.

Federalists, those who identified with federalism as part of a movement, were the main supporters of the Constitution. They were aided by a federalist sentiment that had gained traction across many factions, uniting political figures. This does not mean there was no heated debate over the Constitution's drafting, however. The most zealous anti-federalists, loosely headed by Thomas Jefferson, fought against the Constitution's ratification, particularly those amendments which gave the federal government fiscal and monetary powers.

A sort of ideological war raged between the two factions, resulting in the Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist Papers, a series of essays written by various figures-some anonymously, some not-for and against the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Ultimately, anti-federalists greatly influenced the document, pushing for strict checks and balances and certain limited political terms that would keep any one branch of the federal government from holding too much power for too long. The Bill of Rights, the term used for the first 10 amendments of the Constitution, are especially about personal, individual rights and freedoms; these were included partly to satisfy anti-federalists.

Prominent Anti-Federalists and Federalists

Among anti-federalists, some of the most prominent figures were Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. Jefferson was often considered a leader among the anti-federalists. Other prominent anti-federalists included Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and Richard Henry Lee.

Alexander Hamilton, a former chief of staff to George Washington, was a proponent of a strong federal government and founded the Federalist Party. He helped oversee the development of a national bank and a taxation system. Other prominent federalists of the time included John Jay and John Adams.

Other figures, such as James Madison, greatly supported Hamilton's federalist intentions for a constitution and national identity, but disagreed with his fiscal policies and were more likely to side with anti-federalists on matters of money. Without Madison's influence, which included acceptance of anti-federalists' desire for a bill of rights, it is unlikely that the U.S. Constitution would have been ratified.

Quotes From Anti-Federalists and Federalists

"One can hardly expect the state legislatures to take enlightened views on national affairs." -James Madison, Federalist

"You say that I have been dished up to you as an Anti-Federalist, and ask me if it be just. My opinion was never worthy enough of notice to merit citing; but, since you ask it, I will tell it to you. I am not a Federalist, because I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all. Therefore, I am not of the party of Federalists." -Thomas Jefferson, Anti-Federalist

"...that if we are in earnest about giving the Union energy and duration, we must abandon the vain project of legislating upon the States in their collective capacities; we must extend the laws of the federal government to the individual citizens of America; we must discard the fallacious scheme of quotas and requisitions, as equally impracticable and unjust." -Alexander Hamilton in Federalist Paper No. 23

"Congress, or our future lords and masters, are to have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises. Excise is a new thing in America, and few country farmers and planters know the meaning of it." -A Farmer and Planter (pseudonym) in Anti-Federalist Paper No. 26

"Nothing is more certain than the indispensable necessity of government, and it is equally undeniable, that whenever and however it is instituted, the people must cede to it some of their natural rights in order to vest it with requisite powers." -John Jay in Federalist Paper No. 2

"This being the beginning of American freedom, it is very clear the ending will be slavery, for it cannot be denied that this constitution is, in its first principles, highly and dangerously oligarchical; and it is every where agreed, that a government administered by a few, is, of all governments, the worst." -Leonidas (pseudonym) in Anti-Federalist Paper No. 48

"It is, that in a democracy, the people meet and exercise the government in person: in a republic, they assemble and administer it by their representatives and agents. A democracy, consequently, must be confined to a small spot. A republic may be extended over a large region." -James Madison in Federalist Paper No. 14

References

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What's the difference between Anti-Federalist and Federalist? In U.S. history, anti-federalists were those who opposed the development of a strong federal government and the ratification of the Constitution in 1788, preferring instead for power to remain in the hands of state and local governments. Federalists wanted...

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Predecessor to the U.S. Constitution and drafted from Anti-Federalist principles. Anti-Federalists wanted a stronger state government.

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The Federalist by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay

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The Federalist by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay

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The Federalist Papers were a series of eighty-five essays written to build public and political support for the Constitution and its federal powers. During this process, Washington was skeptical of their opponents, the Anti-Federalists, believing they were misguided or seeking personal fame.

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Known before the twentieth century simply as , The Federalist Papers were a series of eighty-five essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay under the pseudonym "Publius." The essays were written between October 1787 and August 1788, and were intended to build public and political support for the newly constructed Constitution which was sent to the States for ratification in September 1787, following the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

George Washington was sent draft versions of the first seven essays on November 18, 1787 by James Madison, who revealed to Washington that he was one of the anonymous writers. Washington agreed to secretly transmit the drafts to his in-law David Stuart in Richmond, Virginia so the essays could be more widely published and distributed. Washington explained in a letter to David Humphreys that the ratification of the Constitution would depend heavily "on literary abilities, & the recommendation of it by good pens," and his efforts to proliferate the Federalist Papers reflected this feeling.

Washington was skeptical of Constitutional opponents, known as Anti-Federalists, believing that they were either misguided or seeking personal gain. He believed strongly in the goals of the Constitution and saw The Federalist Papers and similar publications as crucial to the process of bolstering support for its ratification. Washington described such publications as "have thrown new lights upon the science of Government, they have given the rights of man a full and fair discussion, and have explained them in so clear and forcible a manner as cannot fail to make a lasting impression upon those who read the best publications of the subject, and particularly the pieces under the signature of Publius."

Although Washington made few direct contributions to the text of the new Constitution and never officially joined the Federalist Party, he profoundly supported the philosophy behind the Constitution and was an ardent supporter of its ratification.

The philosophical influence of the Enlightenment factored significantly in the essays, as the writers sought to establish a balance between centralized political power and individual liberty. Although the writers sought to build support for the Constitution, Madison, Hamilton, and Jay did not see their work as a treatise, per se, but rather as an on-going attempt to make sense of a new form of government.

The Federalist Papers represented only one facet in an on-going debate about what the newly forming government in America should look like and how it would govern. Although it is uncertain precisely how much The Federalist Papers affected the ratification of the Constitution, they were considered by many at the time-and continue to be considered-one of the greatest works of American political philosophy.

Adam Meehan
The University of Arizona

Notes:
1. "George Washington to David Humphreys, 10 October 1787," in George Washington, Writings, ed. John Rhodehamel (New York: Library of America, 1997), 657.

2. "George Washington to John Armstrong, 25 April 1788," in George Washington, Writings, ed. John Rhodehamel (New York: Library of America, 1997), 672.

Bibliography:
Chernow, Ron. Washington: A Life. New York: Penguin, 2010.

Epstein, David F. The Political Theory of The Federalist. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1984.

Furtwangler, Albert. The Authority of Publius: A Reading of the Federalist Papers. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1984.

George Washington, Writings, ed. John Rhodehamel. New York: Library of America, 1997.

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Known before the twentieth century simply as , The Federalist Papers were a series of eighty-five essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay under the pseudonym "Publius."

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When the 13 United States of America declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1776, the founders were attempting to break free from the tyranny of Britain's top-down centralized government.

But the first constitution the founders created, the Articles of Confederation, vested almost all power in individual state legislatures and practically nothing in the national government. The result-political chaos and crippling debt-almost sunk the fledgling nation before it left the harbor.

So the founders met again in Philadelphia in 1787 and drafted a new Constitution grounded in a novel separation of state and national powers known as federalism. While the word itself doesn't appear anywhere in the Constitution, federalism became the guiding principle to safeguard Americans against King George III-style tyranny while providing a check against rogue states.
READ MORE: How the United States Constitution Came to Be
Failures of the Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation were written and ratified while the Revolutionary War was still raging. The document is less of a unifying constitution than a loose pact between 13 sovereign states intending to enter into "a firm league of friendship." Absent from the Articles of Confederation were the Executive or Judicial branches, and the national congress had only the power to declare war and sign treaties, but no authority to directly levy taxes.

As a result, the newly independent United States was buried in debt by 1786 and unable to pay the long-overdue wages of Revolutionary soldiers. The U.S. economy sunk into a deep depression and struggling citizens lost their farms and homes. In Massachusetts, angry farmers joined Shays' Rebellion to seize courthouses and block foreclosures, and a toothless congress was powerless to put it down.

George Washington, temporarily retired from government service, lamented to John Jay, "What a triumph for the advocates of despotism to find that we are incapable of governing ourselves, and that systems founded on the basis of equal liberty are merely ideal & fallacious!"

Alexander Hamilton called for a new Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 where the Articles of Confederation were ultimately thrown out in favor of an entirely new form of government.
READ MORE: The Founding Fathers Feared Foreign Influence-And Devised Protections Against It
The Middle Road of Federalism

When the United States cut ties with Britain, the founders wanted nothing to do with the British form of government known as "unitary." Under a unitary regime, all power originates from a centralized national government (Parliament) and is delegated to local governments. That's still the way the government operates in the UK.

Instead, the founders initially chose the opposite form of government, a confederation. In a confederation, all power originates at the local level in the individual states and is only delegated to a weak central government at the states' discretion.

When the founders met in Philadelphia, it was clear that a confederation wasn't enough to hold the young nation together. States were scuffling over borders and minting their own money. Massachusetts had to hire its own army to put down Shays' Rebellion.

The solution was to find a middle way, a blueprint of government in which the powers were shared and balanced between the states and national interests. That compromise, woven into the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, became known as federalism.

Two Kinds of 'Separation of Powers'

The Constitution and the Bill of Rights created two different kinds of separation of powers, both designed to act as critical checks and balances.

The first and best-known of the separation of powers is between the three branches of government: Executive, Legislative and the Judiciary. If the president acts against the best interests of the country, he or she can be impeached by Congress. If Congress passes an unjust law, the president can veto it. And if any law or public institution infringes on the constitutional rights of the people, the Supreme Court can remedy it.
READ MORE: How Many U.S. Presidents Have Faced Impeachment?
But the second type of separation of powers is equally important, the granting of separate powers to the federal and state governments. Under the Constitution, the state legislatures retain much of their sovereignty to pass laws as they see fit, but the federal government also has the power to intervene when it suits the national interest. And under the "supremacy clause" found in Article IV, federal laws and statutes supersede state law.

Federalism, or the separation of powers between the state and federal government, was entirely new when the founders baked it into the Constitution. And while it functions as an important check, it's also been a continual source of contention between the two levels of government. In the final run-up to the Civil War, the Southern states seceded from the Union in part because of the federal government was unconstitutionally encroaching on their " domestic institutions " of slavery.

How Federalism Works in the Constitution
WATCH: The Legislative Branch
According to James Madison, a committed federalist, the Constitution maintains the sovereignty of states by enumerating very few express powers to the federal government, while "[t]hose which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite."

Article I Section 8 contains a list of all of the "enumerated" powers that are exclusively delegated to the federal government. Those include the power to declare war, maintain armed forces, regulate commerce, coin money and establish a Post Office.

But that very same Section 8 also includes the so-called "Elastic Clause" that authorizes Congress to write and pass any laws that are "necessary and proper" to carry out its enumerated powers. These powers are known collectively as "implied powers" and have been used by Congress to create a national bank, to collect a federal income tax, to institute the draft, to pass gun control laws and to set a federal minimum wage, among others.

Other than that, the Constitution grants almost all other power and authority to the individual states, as Madison said. While the Constitution doesn't explicitly list the powers retained by the states, the founders included a catch-all in the 10th Amendment, ratified in 1791:

"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."

Those so-called "reserved" powers include all authority and functions of local and state governments, policing, education, the regulation of trade within a state, the running of elections and many more.

In the United States, federalism has proven a successful experiment in shared governance since 1787 and provided the model for similar federalist systems in Australia, Canada, India, Germany and several other nations.

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When the Founding Fathers Settled States' vs. Federal Rights-And Saved the Nation

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When the 13 United States of America declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1776, the founders were attempting to break free from the tyranny of Britain's top-down centralized government. But the first constitution the founders created, the Articles of Confederation, vested almost all power in individual state legislatures and practically nothing in the national government.

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The relationship between the states and the federal government. 

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The relationship between the states and the federal government. 

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What are their separate and shared powers?

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States and the federal government have both exclusive powers and concurrent powers. There is an ongoing negotiation over the balance of power between the two levels.

Federalism describes the system of shared governance between national and state governments.

The states and the federal government have both exclusive and concurrent powers, which help to explain the negotiation over the balance of power between them.

The federal government can encourage the adoption of policies at the state-level through federal aid programs.

What is federalism?

Before we start talking about federalism, take a moment and see if you can count the number of government entities that have jurisdiction over the place you are right now.

What did you come up with? One? Three? More than that?

Your answer might differ quite a bit depending on where you are. You might be obligated to abide by the laws of your country, your state, your province, your district, your county, your city, or your town. In some countries, a citizen might be governed by three or more layers of government. In others, they might only be governed by a single national government.

In the United States, the two major layers of government are at the state and national levels. This system, where more than one layer of government has jurisdiction over the same territory, is called federalism. Although it seems natural to US citizens that government is divided into multiple layers, in fact, there are only 15 federal republics in the world.

In the United States, the federalist system emerged because the states evolved from separate colonies, which had diverse populations and different needs. The Framers of the Constitution envisioned that state governments, not the national government, would be the main unit of government for citizens on a day-to-day basis.

In some ways, that's still the case. States issue marriage licenses and set the terms for divorce. State governments issue driver's licenses and car registrations. They decide statewide speed limits and inspection requirements for cars.

But the Framers would likely be surprised to discover the extent to which the federal government and state governments are intertwined today. The balance of power between the two levels has varied over time as the needs of society have changed.

Article IV of the US Constitution establishes the responsibilities of the states to each other and the responsibilities of the federal government toward the states.

Section 1 of Article IV requires that the states give "full faith and credit" to the public acts and judicial proceedings of every other state. In other words, states must honor each other's decisions and legal judgments: a person who gets married in one state is still married if they move to another state, and an individual convicted of a crime is still in trouble if they go to another state.

Section 2 stipulates that the citizens of each state are entitled to all "privileges and immunities" of citizens in other states. This means that states can't treat newcomers worse than their own citizens. For example, the Supreme Court ruled that a California law denying new residents welfare benefits for a year was unconstitutional.

Exclusive and concurrent powers

One reason for the ongoing negotiation over the balance of power between states and the federal government is their exclusive and concurrent powers. Exclusive powers are those powers reserved to the federal government or the states. Concurrent powers are powers shared by the federal government and the states.

Only the federal government can coin money, regulate the mail, declare war, or conduct foreign affairs. These powers make a lot of sense: imagine if Wyoming could declare war on Canada, or Michigan could coin the Michigan Dollar. The exclusive powers of the federal government help the nation operate as a unified whole.

The states retain a lot of power, however. States conduct all elections, even presidential elections, and must ratify constitutional amendments. So long as their laws do not contradict national laws, state governments can prescribe policies on commerce, taxation, healthcare, education, and many other issues within their state.

Notably, both the states and the federal government have the power to tax, make and enforce laws, charter banks, and borrow money.

The changing distribution of power between states and the federal government

As we noted above, the balance of power between states and the federal government has changed a great deal over time. In the early United States, the division between state powers and federal powers was very clear. States regulated within their borders, and the federal government regulated national and international issues.

But since the Civil War in the 1860s, the federal government's powers have overlapped and intertwined with state powers. In times of crisis, like the Great Depression, the federal government has stepped in to provide much-needed aid in areas typically controlled at the state level.

Although the general trend has been toward an increase in federal power, the states have also pushed back. For example, in the 1995 case US v. Lopez, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government had overstepped its bounds by claiming the authority to ban guns from school grounds under the Commerce Clause. Because guns on school grounds aren't related to interstate commerce, the Supreme Court ruled the gun ban unconstitutional.

One way that the federal government can influence the states is through the distribution of grants, incentives, and aid. State and local governments are eager to obtain federal dollars, but many of those dollars come with strings attached. Categorical grants from the federal government can only be used for specific purposes, and frequently include nondiscrimination provisions (saying that the distribution of the funds cannot be for purposes that discriminate against women, minorities, or other groups).

The federal government can also pass unfunded mandates that tie federal funding to certain conditions. For example, the National Minimum Drinking Act of 1984 stipulated that states must have a minimum drinking age of 21 in order to receive full federal highway funding.

Not all federal funding is strictly monitored. Block grants are federal grants given to states or localities for broad purposes. The state or local governments can then disburse those funds as they see fit.

Federalism in the United States today is very complex. It's at the heart of many of our controversies of government today, such as who should control healthcare or education policy. In the next lesson, we'll explore more about the constitutional interpretations of federalism throughout US history.

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The relationship between the states and the federal government (article) | Khan Academy

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Learn for free about math, art, computer programming, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance, history, and more. Khan Academy is a nonprofit with the mission of providing a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.

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The roles of the federal system of government. 

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The roles of the federal system of government. 

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Image

While the federal government of the United States is often the ultimate authority, there are many government responsibilities left unspoken. "[T]he powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State," James Madison wrote.

Painting by Gilbert Stuart from the U.S. Library of Congress

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Director

Tyson Brown, National Geographic Society

Author

National Geographic Society

Production Managers

Gina Borgia, National Geographic Society
Jeanna Sullivan, National Geographic Society

Program Specialists

Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society
Margot Willis, National Geographic Society

Producer

Clint Parks

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The Roles of State and Federal Governments

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Image While the federal government of the United States is often the ultimate authority, there are many government responsibilities left unspoken. "[T]he powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State," James Madison wrote.

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Federal System of Government Venn Diagram-Sort Activity

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Federal System of Government Venn Diagram-Sort Activity

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Federal, State, and Shared Powers

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State Powers | Federalism | Constitution USA | PBS

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State Powers | Federalism | Constitution USA | PBS

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States feared the expanded powers of the new national government and insisted on amendments during the Constitution's ratification. The most popular of these proposed amendments, became the Bill of Rights.

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What if the states had no power? How would they feel? What would happen? Would our government be the same?

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What if the states had no power-Writing template.pptx

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Sources and Activities Compilation

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Grade 4-
Federal System of Government in the United States

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Teaching Social Studies

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Nichole Hersey

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1. What questions does this photo raise in your mind?

2. Where could you find the answers to these questions?

3. How does this artifact connect to what we have been learning in class?

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1. Before learning the different powers, did you know any of our State Powers?

2. Think about Shared Powers. Why do you think our country's leaders created and implemented Shared Powers?

3. After studying the first source, Anti-Federalists vs. Federalists, why do you think that the Anti-Federalists wanted the states to have more power?

4. Compare and contrast the Anti-Federalists and  Federalists.

5. How did you determine the Federal, State, and Shared Powers? Which source do you believe was the most helpful for this activity?

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1. If the states had no power, how do you think our country would be?

2. Describe why State Powers may be important in our lives.

3. If the states had no power, do you think our freedom and opportunities would be the same?

4. If you were the leader of our country, would you choose to have strong Federal Powers or State Powers? Or would you want separate and Shared Powers, just as in the Federal System of Government in the United States? Explain your answer and reasons to why you chose it.

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1. When analyzing the map of the U.S. Capital, did you recognize any of the buildings located on the map?

2. Do you have any questions about the map? If so, what are they?

3. Describe something you learned about the U.S. Capital from analyzing this map.

4. Based on what you have learned, is the U.S. Capital and its government buildings a part of the federal government or state government?

5. Would you like to live there? Why or why not?

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1. What did you remember from previous sources and information that helped you work through these activities?

2. When thinking about the "Rule of Thumb," what if the states had superiority over the federal government? Who would be in control? Who would make the decisions?

3. Why do you think there are no reserved powers for the federal government?

4. Describe what it means to be a delegated power vs. reserved power.

5. What are three things that the states can't do?

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Please view the primary source below. After studying the source, join the Google Slides. Read the instructions and information provided to you throughout the slides. Answer any questions that it asks, and make the decisions throughout the activity.

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The relationship between the states and the federal government. 

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The relationship between the states and the federal government. 

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What are their separate and shared powers?

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States and the federal government have both exclusive powers and concurrent powers. There is an ongoing negotiation over the balance of power between the two levels.

Federalism describes the system of shared governance between national and state governments.

The states and the federal government have both exclusive and concurrent powers, which help to explain the negotiation over the balance of power between them.

The federal government can encourage the adoption of policies at the state-level through federal aid programs.

What is federalism?

Before we start talking about federalism, take a moment and see if you can count the number of government entities that have jurisdiction over the place you are right now.

What did you come up with? One? Three? More than that?

Your answer might differ quite a bit depending on where you are. You might be obligated to abide by the laws of your country, your state, your province, your district, your county, your city, or your town. In some countries, a citizen might be governed by three or more layers of government. In others, they might only be governed by a single national government.

In the United States, the two major layers of government are at the state and national levels. This system, where more than one layer of government has jurisdiction over the same territory, is called federalism. Although it seems natural to US citizens that government is divided into multiple layers, in fact, there are only 15 federal republics in the world.

In the United States, the federalist system emerged because the states evolved from separate colonies, which had diverse populations and different needs. The Framers of the Constitution envisioned that state governments, not the national government, would be the main unit of government for citizens on a day-to-day basis.

In some ways, that's still the case. States issue marriage licenses and set the terms for divorce. State governments issue driver's licenses and car registrations. They decide statewide speed limits and inspection requirements for cars.

But the Framers would likely be surprised to discover the extent to which the federal government and state governments are intertwined today. The balance of power between the two levels has varied over time as the needs of society have changed.

Article IV of the US Constitution establishes the responsibilities of the states to each other and the responsibilities of the federal government toward the states.

Section 1 of Article IV requires that the states give "full faith and credit" to the public acts and judicial proceedings of every other state. In other words, states must honor each other's decisions and legal judgments: a person who gets married in one state is still married if they move to another state, and an individual convicted of a crime is still in trouble if they go to another state.

Section 2 stipulates that the citizens of each state are entitled to all "privileges and immunities" of citizens in other states. This means that states can't treat newcomers worse than their own citizens. For example, the Supreme Court ruled that a California law denying new residents welfare benefits for a year was unconstitutional.

Exclusive and concurrent powers

One reason for the ongoing negotiation over the balance of power between states and the federal government is their exclusive and concurrent powers. Exclusive powers are those powers reserved to the federal government or the states. Concurrent powers are powers shared by the federal government and the states.

Only the federal government can coin money, regulate the mail, declare war, or conduct foreign affairs. These powers make a lot of sense: imagine if Wyoming could declare war on Canada, or Michigan could coin the Michigan Dollar. The exclusive powers of the federal government help the nation operate as a unified whole.

The states retain a lot of power, however. States conduct all elections, even presidential elections, and must ratify constitutional amendments. So long as their laws do not contradict national laws, state governments can prescribe policies on commerce, taxation, healthcare, education, and many other issues within their state.

Notably, both the states and the federal government have the power to tax, make and enforce laws, charter banks, and borrow money.

The changing distribution of power between states and the federal government

As we noted above, the balance of power between states and the federal government has changed a great deal over time. In the early United States, the division between state powers and federal powers was very clear. States regulated within their borders, and the federal government regulated national and international issues.

But since the Civil War in the 1860s, the federal government's powers have overlapped and intertwined with state powers. In times of crisis, like the Great Depression, the federal government has stepped in to provide much-needed aid in areas typically controlled at the state level.

Although the general trend has been toward an increase in federal power, the states have also pushed back. For example, in the 1995 case US v. Lopez, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government had overstepped its bounds by claiming the authority to ban guns from school grounds under the Commerce Clause. Because guns on school grounds aren't related to interstate commerce, the Supreme Court ruled the gun ban unconstitutional.

One way that the federal government can influence the states is through the distribution of grants, incentives, and aid. State and local governments are eager to obtain federal dollars, but many of those dollars come with strings attached. Categorical grants from the federal government can only be used for specific purposes, and frequently include nondiscrimination provisions (saying that the distribution of the funds cannot be for purposes that discriminate against women, minorities, or other groups).

The federal government can also pass unfunded mandates that tie federal funding to certain conditions. For example, the National Minimum Drinking Act of 1984 stipulated that states must have a minimum drinking age of 21 in order to receive full federal highway funding.

Not all federal funding is strictly monitored. Block grants are federal grants given to states or localities for broad purposes. The state or local governments can then disburse those funds as they see fit.

Federalism in the United States today is very complex. It's at the heart of many of our controversies of government today, such as who should control healthcare or education policy. In the next lesson, we'll explore more about the constitutional interpretations of federalism throughout US history.

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The relationship between the states and the federal government (article) | Khan Academy

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Learn for free about math, art, computer programming, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance, history, and more. Khan Academy is a nonprofit with the mission of providing a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.

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This is an interactive, decision making, Google Slides over the federal system of government in the U.S.  Students will read through the information provided to them and make informed decisions throughout the slides.

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Federal System of Government-Activity Five: Informed Decision Making

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Paced is an informal decision making tool that will help you throughout the process of making an informed decision. Go through each step/letter before making your decision.

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1. What did you learn about the federal system of government, from this activity?

2. How did you feel having to make the decisions over who gets greater powers?

3. After studying your primary source, and the information in the google slides, are there any powers that you believe should be added to the federal government system? If so, what are they and why?

4. Did you remember any of the powers, before starting this activity?

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-Coin money
-Declare war
-Establish armed forces
-Enter treaties with other countries
-Create a post office
-Make laws to enforce the Constitution

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-Establish local governments
-Issue licenses
-Conduct elections
-Ratify amendments to the U.S. Constitution
-Provide for public safety

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-Set up courts
-Create and collect taxes (Federal and State)
-Build highways
-Borrow money
-Make and enforce laws
-Charter banks and corporations
-Spend money for the betterment of the general welfare