Category 1: Unitary & Federal
This system gives all "key" powers to the national or central government.
What is a Unitary System?
This is a loose union of independent states.
What is a Con-federal or Confederacy?
The Preamble to this document shows the new government's intent to increase cooperation among the states.
(What is the Constitution?)
In a Unitary System, states are given this type of sovereignty.
What is limited sovereignty?
The U.S. Articles of Confederation failed primarily due to the weakness of this.
What is the central government?
This combines concern for the public good and protection of individual rights.
(What is Federalism?)
This system divides the powers of government between national and state governments.
What is a Federal System?
The inability to tax and regulate commerce were key weaknesses of this early American government.
What were the Articles of the Confederation?
This is an example of a country with a Unitary System.
(What is France, Great Britain, or Italy?)
A disadvantage of a Unitary System is that it has too much of this type of power.
What is centralized power?
This is the name of the system in the U.S. that failed before the Constitution was instituted.
What were the Articles of the Confederation?
After the 13 colonies became states, the U.S. became this type of government.
(What is a Federal System?)
The U.S. is an example of this type of system where powers are divided between national and state governments.
What is a Federal System?
The U.S. Articles of the Confederation failed, which led to the creation of this type of system.
What is a Federal System?
This quote from the Constitution shows the new government meant to increase cooperation among the states: "We the people, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility..."
(What is the Preamble?)