Chapter 6 Quiz

Which two levels of government are mentioned in the Constitution?

National and state

Which two presidents spoke about new federalism?

Nixon + Reagan

primary disadvantages of federal grants

Objectionable and cumbersome policies that must be implemented by state and local officials greater Involvement of the national government in state and local policymaking Increased national debt States that become dependent on the federal government's aid

primary advantages of federal grants

Variety of types of assistance Assistance to citizens that would not otherwise be possible

grants-in-aid

federal programs that dispense monies to state and local governments; used as a key force in implementing national policies on the local level

necessary and proper clause (elastic clause)

gives lawmakers great leeway in making laws that are "necessary and proper" for the execution of enumerated and implied powers; greatly enlarges the scope of national power and has sometimes been stretched to cover congressional acts

reserved powers

powers not delegated to the national government or denied to the states that are reserved for the various states and their citizens

enumerated powers (expressed powers)

powers specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution

implied powers

powers that are derived from powers expressly granted by the Constitution and that the government has just by virtue of being a government

delegated powers

powers which define the limits of the government's authority

What constitutional amendment guarantees the reserved powers of the states and of the people?

10th Amendment

supremacy clause

Article VI, clause 2 of the Constitution, which makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits

How did the New Deal and the Great Society impact federalism?

Both of these programs expanded the national government's power and prominence.

Why is it often difficult to reverse states' and districts' reliance on federal grants and to reduce federal budgets?

Each area that benefits from federal grants is usually very concerned about keeping the funding it receives and thus opposes cuts even if a reduction in federal spending is needed

What two political forces help preserve the division between the state and national levels of government?

Congressmen are responsible to the states and districts that elected them. Political parties are built on the state level and are somewhat independent of their national organizations.

What 4 constitutional obligations does the national government have in relation to the states?

Honor the states' territorial rights Must guarantee each state a republican form of government Must protect states from foreign invasion May intervene if a state needs help in suppressing domestic violence

How does the role of states today differ from their role in the early years of the American Republic?

In the early years of the Republic, states played a more important role in the lives of citizens than did the national government because of the relative weakness of the federal government, the reserved powers noted in the Constitution, and the state legislatures' ability to elect US senators.

What is the basic point James Madison is making in the excerpt from The Federalist Papers #46 from the end of the chapter?

The power still lies in the hands of the people. The governments, both state and national, are agents of the people.

Is the statement "There ought to be a law against that" valid?

The proper test of legislation is whether it encourages people to act justly and righteously or infringes on God-given rights and responsibilities

Great Society

a number of initiatives from President Lyndon Johnson aimed at eliminating poverty, supervising voting rights, and promoting greater federal involvement in education and health care

New Deal

a series of social and economic programs instituted in the 1930s by Franklin D. Roosevelt; addressed the poverty and unemployment of the Depression

dual federalism

a system in which the national and state governments are sovereign within their own spheres

project grants

categorical grants that allow the national government great discretion in deciding how much aid will be given to a project

formula grants

categorical grants that are governed by demographic formulas, such as unemployment figures, in a given area

block grants

federal grants-in-aid that combine several categorical grants under a general umbrella to simplify the use of the funds in local governments

revenue sharing

federal program that allocates portions of the national government's tax revenues to the states, returning policy control to the states and reducing federal intervention

categorical grants

federal programs granting monies for specific purposes within state and local governments

What event firmly established the supremacy of the federal government?

the end of the Civil War

16th amendment

income tax amendment (1913)

Which level of government is not mentioned in the Constitution?

local

federalism

system in which a nation's power is divided among national, regional, and local governments, which simultaneously assert authority over the people

What event in America's history significantly shifted American's perception of the federal government?

the Great Depression