Federalism
Branches of Government
Rights Protected by the U.S. Constitution
Powers of the U.S. Government
Founding Documents
100

A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units.

What is federalism?

100

Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.  

What are the three branches of government?

100

This is the first ten amendments to the Constitution that protect individual liberties.

What is the Bill of Rights?

100

This is the primary source of government power in the United States.

What is the consent of the governed?

100

This is a document declaring the colonies' independence from British rule, written in 1776.

What is the Declaration of Independence?

200

The power to coin money is exclusive to this government.

What is the federal government?

200

To make laws is the primary responsibility of this branch.  

What is the legislative branch?

200

This amendment guarantees freedom of speech.  

What is the First Amendment?

200

This is the principle that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people.  

What is popular sovereignty?

200

This document's purpose was to establish the framework of the government and outline the rights of citizens.

What is the Consitution?

300

This establishes that the Constitution and federal laws take precedence over state laws.

What is the significance of the Supremacy Clause?

300

Vetoing legislation is a way that this branch can check the power of the legislative branch.

What is the executive branch?

300

The fourth amendment protects against this.  

What is unreasonable search and seizures. 

300

This is when each branch of government has the ability to limit the powers of the others to prevent abuse of power.  

What is the system of checks and balances?

300

This was a series of essays written to promote the ratification of the Constitution.

What are the Federalist Papers?

400

How does federalism affect the relationship between state and national governments?

 It creates a division of responsibilities and powers, allowing both levels to operate independently within their spheres.

400

This is the power of the courts to determine the constitutionality of laws.

What is Judicial Review?

400

This amendment guarantees equal protection under the law and due process for all citizens.  

What is the fourteenth amendment?

400

These are powers that are shared by both the federal and state governments, such as the power to tax.

What is a concurrent power?

400

This was the first governing document of the United States that created a weak federal government.

What are the Articles of Confederation?

500

What role does the Tenth Amendment play in federalism?

It reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people.

500

This is the division of responsibilities among the three branches to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

What is separation of powers?

500

The eighth amendment protects from this kind of punishment.  

What is cruel and unusual/excessive bail?

500

Through grants, funding, and mandates, the federal government can do this to state policies.  

What is influence?

500

This process through Article V provides a process for change and adaption over time to the Constitution.  

What is amending the Consitution?