Question 1

Which of the following are you less likely to see in a confederation than in a federation?

Accepted Answer

In a confederation, the central authority is weaker, and member states retain most of their sovereignty, often resulting in the absence of a strong national military.

Question 2

Which of the following best describes how the Founders decided to deal with the question of national versus state power in the U.S. Constitution?

Accepted Answer

The Founders created a system of federalism in the Constitution, which divides power between national and state governments, but left many specifics to be interpreted and decided by future generations.

Question 3

Suppose Congress decided it was unnecessary to have two Carolinas (North and South), two Dakotas (North and South), and both a Virginia and West Virginia. Could Congress pass a law changing these six states into only three states (Carolina, Dakota, and Virginia, respectively)?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Constitution recognizes states as sovereign entities with their own governments and protections. The central government cannot unilaterally abolish a state without its consent. Any change to state boundaries would require the approval of the affected states and Congress.

Question 4

As the national government has grown stronger over time, the system has come to resemble ________.

Accepted Answer

The phrase "marble cake" suggests that the national and state governments are intermixed and work together on many policy areas, which is true in modern times. The phrase "layer cake" suggests that the national and state governments are separate layers with little overlap or interaction, which is not accurate in today's political system. Choice A and D are incorrect because they describe a political system that existed in the early days of the United States but has since evolved. Choice B is partially correct in that there is some cooperation between the national and state governments, but the phrase "layer cake" is misleading. Choice E is also partially correct in that federal and state jurisdiction is sometimes in flux, but the phrase "marble cake" is a better descriptor of the current relationship between the national and state governments.

Question 5

Throughout the twentieth century, federalism questions were most often decided in favor of ________.

Accepted Answer

Throughout the twentieth century, there was a shift towards greater power for the national government in federalism questions, as evidenced by the New Deal programs and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, among other examples.

Question 6

Which institution has historically played the primary role in refereeing conflicts over the relative scope of federal and state powers under the U.S. Constitution?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court has historically played the primary role in refereeing conflicts over the relative scope of federal and state powers under the U.S. Constitution, through its power of judicial review.

Question 7

Which term indicates a political system with multiple levels of government that have independent constitutional authority over some important policy areas?

Accepted Answer

Federalism is a political system in which power is shared between a central government and various constituent governments, with each level having independent constitutional authority in important policy areas. Confederation refers to a loose association of independent states. Intergovernmentalism refers to a situation where different levels of government cooperate in decision-making, but do not have independent constitutional authority. Unitary systems have one central government with all power and authority. Internationalism is a political ideology or movement advocating for greater cooperation among nations.

Question 8

A political system in which both levels of government-national and state-are active in nearly all areas of policy activity and share sovereign authority is ________.

Accepted Answer

The description given fits the definition of cooperative federalism, in which both the national and state governments work together and share power in various policy areas. Dual federalism emphasizes the separation of powers between national and state governments, while direct democracy and representative democracy refer to different methods of citizen participation in government. Intergovernmentalism refers to the cooperation between different levels of government in general, but does not specifically denote the sharing of sovereign authority.

Question 9

In 1991 after the disbanding of the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was founded between the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine. This system of governance allowed for the addition of new member states after their ratification of the CIS Charter, as well as the protection of human rights and free trade within the uniting states. What constitutional arrangement does this most clearly represent?

Accepted Answer

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a confederation, as it is a voluntary association of independent states that have agreed to cooperate on certain issues while retaining their sovereignty. This is different from a federal system, where power is shared between a central government and individual states or provinces.

Question 10

When do central governments often gain power and become either confederated or federated?

Accepted Answer

Central governments often gain power and become either confederated or federated when the subunits face collective dilemmas they cannot overcome, such as a common threat or economic crisis. This leads them to seek a stronger central authority to address the shared problems.

Question 11

In Belgium, citizens in constitutionally defined regions elect separate governments to control public policies, as well as a single national government that controls other policies, such as trade and national defense. What does this constitutional arrangement most clearly represent?

Accepted Answer

The constitutional arrangement in Belgium is an example of a federal system, where power is divided between the central government and regional governments. In a federal system, the regional governments have significant autonomy over certain policy areas, while the central government maintains control over broader areas such as trade and national defense.

Question 12

Which constitutional arrangement most clearly balances the desire to maintain regional autonomy with the need to ensure effective national governance over areas like national security?

Accepted Answer

A federal system allows for regional autonomy while also ensuring effective national governance over areas like national security by dividing power and responsibilities between the national and regional levels of government. This helps maintain a balance where both the national government and regional governments have important roles to play, and neither one dominates the other.

Question 13

What is a distinguishing characteristic of dual federalism in contrast to cooperative federalism, and what is an example of a policy area that relies on dual federalism in the U.S.?

Accepted Answer

Dual federalism separates sovereignty between national and subunit governments, and the two levels of government operate largely independent of each other. This is exemplified by education policy where the federal government has jurisdiction and states must conform to national law.

Question 14

In education policy, the national and state governments often cooperate or share resources. For example, Congress may mandate certain educational standards, while local governments operate the daily function of schools. What is this an example of?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In education policy, the national and state...

Question 15

A political system in which each level of government-national and state-is sovereign in its own spheres of policy authority is ________.

Accepted Answer

Dual federalism, also known as layer-cake federalism, is a political system in which power is divided between the national and state governments, with each level of government being sovereign in its own spheres of policy authority. This means that the federal government has limited powers, and the states have significant authority in areas such as education, criminal justice, and transportation. This system was prevalent in the United States from the late 1700s until the mid-1900s, when cooperative federalism became more dominant.

Question 16

Why was the Civil War an important event in the development of the American political system?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why was the Civil War an important...

Question 17

Which of the following is a distinguishing characteristic of federalism in contrast to the confederal system?

Accepted Answer

In a confederal system, subunit governments retain full sovereignty and the national government cannot compel them to act. However, in federalism, subunit governments have constitutionally protected status, meaning that their powers are explicitly outlined and protected under the national constitution. This is a distinguishing characteristic of federalism in contrast to a confederal system.

Question 18

In the United States, the central government is typically charged with creating and enforcing environmental regulations. What is the principal advantage of having central control rather than state control over environmental policy?

Accepted Answer

Central control helps to avoid issues related to coordination and enforcement among states, ensuring more uniform and effective environmental regulation across the nation.

Question 19

Which of the following is a law or policy probably handled exclusively by the federal government?

Accepted Answer

Trade negotiations with other countries are typically handled by the federal government as they deal with international relations and foreign policy. The other options may involve state or local governments as well.

Question 20

Difficulty in coordinating action among the states under the Articles of Confederation led to important problems for regulating the national economy and ensuring national security. This led the framers of the U.S. Constitution to abandon the ________ system created by the Articles of Confederation in favor of a ________ system under the Constitution.

Accepted Answer

The Articles of Confederation established a confederal system, where power was held primarily by the individual states. The difficulties in coordinating action and addressing national issues under this system led to the creation of a federal system under the U.S. Constitution. In a federal system, power is shared between the national government and individual states, allowing for a stronger central government to regulate the national economy and ensure national security.

Quiz 3: Federalism