This is a timed quiz.
You have 15 minutes to complete the 20 questions in this quiz.
Federalism is a way of organizing a nation so that
power is centralized in state and local government.
both national and state levels of government have some authority over the same land and people.
there is one federal government, and all regional governments are administrative subunits of it.
power is centralized in the national government.
there are three branches of government and a system of checks and balances.
All of the following areas provide examples of how federalism decentralizes our policies EXCEPT
the federal income tax
the regulation of abortion.
the death penalty.
the funding of education.
environmental protection.
In our federal system, the powers of the state governments are ultimately granted by
their state’s Supreme Court
the people of their state.
their state legislature.
the United States Constitution.
the United States government.
In McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), Chief Justice Marshall argued that
in cases of conflict between national and state law, the national law was supreme as long as national law was in accordance with the Constitution.
the national government has implied powers that go beyond those explicitly enumerated in Article I, Section 8.
Congress’ enumerated power to coin money, regulate its value, and impose taxes implied the right of Congress to do whatever was necessary and proper for carrying out these powers, including the power to create a bank.
Maryland could not tax the national bank.
All of these answer options were argued by Marshall.
The Constitution states that Congress has the power to establish post offices. This is an example of
enumerated powers.
delegated powers.
implied powers.
reserved powers.
shared powers.
A marriage license issued in one state is valid and honored in all states under the constitutional provision of
separation of powers.
full faith and credit.
national supremacy.
national licensure.
privileges and immunities.
Funding for the interstate highway system is an example of
dual federalism.
cooperative federalism.
tripartite federalism.
a unitary system of government.
national federalism.
Fiscal federalism is
the pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system.
the distinct separation of national government spending versus state and local government spending.
the federal government’s regulation of the money supply and interest rates.
the federal income tax.
a sharing of local and national resources practiced in other countries but not in the United States.
Which of the following is one way that federalism may have a negative effect on democracy?
Federalism may increase inequities between and among states.
Federalism tends to increase conflict at the national level.
Federalism tends to decrease opportunities for citizens to participate in government.
Federalism may encourage electoral dissent.
None of these answer options is an example of how federalism may have a negative effect on democracy.
Which of the following is an example of a confederation?
State governments in the United States
The United Nations
OPEC
Britain
France
The Constitution grants the power to directly regulate such things as drinking ages, marriage and divorce, and sexual behavior to
all governments by the Bill of Rights.
the national government.
the president.
state governments.
both the state and national governments.
Which of the following was NOT among the reasons the Framers adopted a federal system when they wrote the Constitution?
The confederation had clearly failed in managing the country’s problems.
The population was too dispersed for a unitary system to work.
Americans’ loyalty to state governments was stronger than it was to the United States.
America had always had a federal system, and it would have been too radical and disruptive a change to adopt another system.
The country’s transportation and communication systems were too primitive for a unitary government to work.
The Constitution’s supremacy clause
does not apply to state and local matters.
gives the states superiority over the national government’s Constitution and laws.
made the Constitution, the laws of the national government, and the national government’s treaties the supreme law of the land.
is vague about which level of government should prevail in a dispute involving federalism.
makes the president supreme in any constitutional conflicts with the other two branches.
Federal policies to regulate food and drugs, build interstate highways, protect consumers, try to clean up dirty air and water, and do many other things are all justified as ________ of Congress.
implied powers
categorical grants
constitutionally specified powers
reserved powers
enumerated powers
Which of the following is TRUE of intergovernmental relations in the United States over the past two centuries?
There has been a gradual shift from dual federalism to cooperative federalism.
There is a greater sharing of powers between the national and state governments.
There has been an increase in federal grants-in-aid to the states and localities from the national government.
Intergovernmental relations are increasingly characterized by fiscal federalism.
All of these answer options are true about intergovernmental relations in the United States over the past two centuries.
The national government has exclusive control over foreign and military policy, the postal system, and monetary policy, while the states have exclusive control over other specific areas. This division of responsibilities reflects
divided government.
fiscal federalism.
Federal support for public education is an example of a
pragmatic federalism.
layer cake federalism.
Withholding federal funds from states that do not raise the legal drinking age to 21 is an example of a(n)
crossover sanction.
unfunded mandate.
project grant.
formula grant.
crosscutting requirement.
Which of the following events contributed to the accumulation of national over state power?
The Civil War
The struggle for civil rights and racial equality
The elaboration of the doctrine of implied powers
The definition of the commerce clause
All of these answer options contributed to the accumulation of national over state power.
Which of the following describes the dramatic changes in American federalism that occurred over the past two centuries?
The rise of fiscal federalism
A gradual shift from dual federalism to cooperative federalism
A gradual shift from cooperative federalism to dual federalism
Both the rise of fiscal federalism and a gradual shift from dual federalism to cooperative federalismare true
Both the rise of fiscal federalism and a gradual shift from cooperative federalism to dual federalism are true.
