1. Define the term federalism and compare and contrast it with unitary and confederation governments. Give examples of each.

2. Why is federalism considered so important? Explain how federalism decentralizes politics and policies.

3. Describe American federalism and contrast federalism to unitary government. For a country like the United States, is federalism an appropriate system? Explain.

4. Describe the federal system as formulated in the original design of the Constitution. Explain how federalism has evolved or changed since the writing of the Constitution, particularly in terms of the establishment of national supremacy.

5. What strategy did the Congress use to compel states to raise the legal drinking age to 21? Was this effective? appropriate? Explain. Answer:

6. List some of the powers specifically granted to the state governments by the Constitution. List some of the powers specifically denied the states by the Constitution. Do the powers granted and denied seem wise? Explain.

7. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the American form of federalism?

8. What was the major issue of federalism between 1787 and 1986, and how was it resolved?

9. How were state and national roles redefined between 1865 and 1933?

10. In what areas is federalism becoming more important? Less important?

11. Discuss some historical examples wherein an individual claimed rights as a citizen of the United States but was denied rights by a state.

12. Two cases are mentioned in the text as examples of current -problems: water and the definition of marriage. With specific reference to state and federal law, in what ways are these cases similar? In what ways do they differ?

13. How does the national government regulate states and localities?

14. Create a scenario in which all state governments were eliminated and only a centralized government remained. Would individual citizens be better or worse off with regard to liberty, equality, and the pursuit of happiness?

15. Identify and explain the constitutional provisions that govern the relationships between states.

16. Decisions of the Supreme Court have had a major impact on the relationship between state governments and the national government. Explain the constitutional effects of McCulloch v. Maryland and Gibbons v. Ohio.

17. Identify and explain concurrent powers. What impact has the supremacy clause had on concurrent powers?

18. What are the differences among the various types of grans-in-aid?

19. Federalism is said to be neither efficient nor effective. What effect does this judgment have on people's evaluation of their government?

20. Should education be nationalized? Your answer should relate to constitutional provisions, domestic interests, costs, and the good of individual citizens.

21. Briefly describe and state the historical significance of the McCulloch v. Maryland decision. Did the Supreme Court issue a fair decision or did this undermine a proper balance in federalism? Explain.

22. Explain what happened in the Supreme Court cases of McCulloch v. Maryland and Gibbons v. Ogden? What is the importance of each case to the distribution of powers between the states and the national government?

23. Explain the relationships and obligations between the states in the American federal system. Use specific examples to illustrate your answer.

24. How do state and local governments influence national policy making?

25. Compare and contrast dual federalism and cooperative federalism. What are the standard operating procedures for cooperative federalism?

26. Define what is meant by "fiscal federalism." How is it manifested through the federal grant system? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of the different types of grants?

27. What means and strategies do the states and communities use to compete with each other for federal dollars? Under what circumstances might the states and localities not want to receive federal aid?

28. To what extent ' has the new Republican majority, first elected in 1994, limited the scope of government? enhanced it?

29. Explain and give specific examples of the advantages and disadvantages of federalism for democratic government.

30. What are the advantages and disadvantages to democracy under a federal system? If you were drafting the Constitution today, would you opt to continue federalism or try something else? Explain.

31. Discuss how federalism creates a more democratic political system.

32. Generally, how do the 50 states and Washington, D.C. differ in their laws regarding the death penalty? on per-capita spending on public education? Is this a problem in a country like the United States, or a strength of our system? Explain.

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GOVT 2305  American Government and Politics
Cathedral High School, El Paso, Texas
Last updated:  June 2004