American Federal History

 
Chapter 3 – Test


regulations or new conditions for receiving grants that impose costs on state and local goverments for which they are not reimbursed by
the national government is the definition of
unfunded mandates
 
block grants consist of federal aid to state or local governments that is to be spent within a specified policy area, though without the narrow
regulations of categorical grants
 
concurrent powers are those powers given to which entity?
they are shared by the federal and state governments.
 
cooperative federalism is best defined as a type of federalism existing since the new deal era in which grants in  aid have been used strategically
to encourage states and localities to
pursue nationally defined goals
 
goverment powers not provided to the national goverment in the us constitution but are rather given to the states by the tenth
amendment are called ___ powers
reserved
 
in a federal system, power is distributed
between the state and national governments
 
in what way did the federal goverment attempt to combat state opposition to national policies for a time in the 1960s
bypassing states all together by making federal grants directly to local governments
 
McCulloch v Maryland is an important case because in this case, the us supreme court interpreted the delegated powers of
congress broadly, creating the potential for increased national powers
 
Most of the rules and regulations Americans face in their daily lives are set by
state and local governments
 
new federalism was generally characterized by
granting state and local goverments greater control of nationally funded programs
 
the commerce clause of article 1, section 8, of the us constitution affords congress broad regulatory power over what
interstate commerce
 
the power to charter national banks is an example of which type of power
implied
 
under the traditional system of dual federalism, the national goverments primary functional role was
the assistance of the nation’s commerce
 
U.S. vs. Windsor (2013) was important because it
successfully challenged the ban on interracial marriage
 
what is the purpose of the tenth amendment to limit the powers of the central goverment by establishing reserved powers
for states and individuals
 
what type of situation in American federalism has often resulted in the act of preemption
a state action is found to be inconsistent with a federal requirement
 
which of the following would best exemplify a characteristic of a unitary system of goverment?
The national goverment selects the textbooks and curriculum for all schools
 
which of the following statements about federalism under president Obama’s administration is inaccurate?
the Obama administration greatly reduced the power of federal authority
in most public policy arenas
 
which supreme court decision was the first time since the new deal that court limited the power of congress under the commerce clause
U.S. vs Lopez
 
with which constitutional clause has same sex marriage been mostly closely linked
the full faith and credit clause
 
Which clause in the U.S. Constitution affirms that national laws and treaties are the supreme law of the land?
The supremacy clause
 
Federalism is best defined as a system of government
in which power is divided between a national government and lower level governments.
 
The specific powers granted to Congress in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution are called the ________ powers.
expressed
 
What is it called when a state grants a city the ability to govern its own local affairs?
Home rule
 
In the federal system, government responsibilities are
shared by both state and federal governments.
 
Which amendment preserves a strong role for the states in the American federal republic?
Tenth
 
_________ powers exist when both the state and national governments share authority in certain domains.
Concurrent
 
During most of the nineteenth century, Congress used its powers to ____________ commerce.
Facilitate
 
Under the traditional system of American federalism (dual federalism), most of the fundamental governing in the United States was done by
state governments.
 
Why were attempts by Congress to regulate child labor and factory conditions in local workplaces struck down by the Supreme
Court as unconstitutional in the last nineteenth century?
Regulating local workplaces was beyond the scope of interstate commerce at the time and was, therefore,
perceived to be an unconstitutional exercise of power by the federal government.
 
What was the overall importance of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)?
The Court interpreted the delegated powers of Congress broadly, creating the potential for increased national powers.
 
What was a major reason that the slogan "states' rights" became tarnished in the 1950s and 1960s?
It had been used by southern opponents of the civil rights movement to support Jim Crow Laws.
 
Why was United States v. Lopez (1995) important?
It was the first time since the New Deal that the Supreme Court limited the power of Congress as outlined under there commerce clause.
 
How did the traditional system of dual federalism establish a "commercial republic"?
The function of the federal government was to promote and assist commerce
 
Which level of government writes the majority of criminal laws?
The state governments
 
The constitutional idea of states' rights was strongest during which historical period?
The years immediately preceding the Civil War.
 
Which statement best describes American federalism since the 1930s?
Although the federal government has grown significantly more powerful since the 1930s, some power has been returned to states in recent years.
 
Which statement best describes the Supreme Court's decisions about federalism during the 1990s?
The Court limited the power of the national government over the state governments.
 
Which event was most influential in the rise of a more active national government?
The Great Depression
 
______ is the strategy of delegating authority to a lower level of government.
Devolution
 
One argument for a strong federal government is that it promotes ______ across states.
equality
 
"Marble cake federalism" is associated with the
pattern of intergovernmental cooperation that has blurred the lines between the states and the national governments.
 
Block grants are designed to
give the states considerable discretion in how money from the federal government should be spent.
 
Which president introduced and presided over the New Deal?
Franklin Roosevelt
 
The full faith and credit clause of the Constitution requires
states to honor each other's public acts and legal decisions.
 
What is the purpose of the Tenth Amendment?
To limit the powers of the federal government by reserving certain powers to the states and to the people.
 
What is the main function of the privileges and immunities clause of Article IV?
It prevents states from discriminating against nonresidents.
 
Which of the following statements best describes the discussion of local government found in the Constitution?
Local government has no status in the Constitution.
 
The Constitution's commerce clause says that _________ shall have the power to "regulate commerce" among the states.
Congress
 
Which of the following characterized the era of dual federalism?
state supremacy in racial policy
 
States alone are sovereign in a
confederacy
 
The powers granted to the states in the Constitution are called _________ powers.
reserved
 
John C. Calhoun argued that the United States was founded upon
a compact between the states.
 
How many levels of constitutionally recognized levels of government does the federal system have?
Two
 
Unitary System
central government is sovereign, can create governments and delegate powers
 
Confederal System-
several independent sovereign gov's agree to participate on matters while each retains authority
 
What is the reason the Constitution lacks detail on state authority?
At the time of Constitutions drafting, the states expected to retain authority, except matters agreed to turn over to federal gov
 
In What order did the colonists experience the three types of government?
Unitary, Confederal, Federal
 
Which body of government retains jurisdiction over local governments?
State
 
Most Americans live under the jurisdiction of how many governments, simultaneously
Five
 
The "reserved powers" clause of the constitution gives power to which government?
State
 
What does the case McCulloch v. Maryland exemplify
established the use of the implied powers to expand national governments enumerated authority
 
What early supreme court case decided the regulation of interstate commerce
Gibbons v Ogden
 
Where in the constitution are states obligations to one another
Article IV 4
 
What type of federalism are grants-in-aid used?
cooperative federalism
 
What type of federalism would be described by saying the national government imposed its own policy preference on states?
Centralized federalism
 
In what case did supreme court strike down the national gun free school zone act as being unconstitutional
United states v Lopez
 
What percentage of the states must ratify a constitutional amendment for it to pass?
three fourths 3/4
 
What phrase do political scientists use to describe the way state judges grant more liberties and rights that those guaranteed
under the U.S. constitution
New Judicial Federalism
 
What are the three amendments that have had tremendous impact on the power relationship between national and state government
14th, 16th, and 17th
 
Which amendment authorizes the national government to ensure that states provide due process
fourteenth
 
The equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment was interpreted in what case in 2000
Bush v. Gore
 
What amendment enhanced the power of congress to raise money?
16th
 
What was the change in accountability for U.S. Senators when the seventeenth amendment passed?
Senators were no longer directly accountable to the state legislature because the latter, no longer selected senators
 
What is the most common type of grant-in-aid?
Categorical formula grant
 
_______grants are less narrowly defined that_______ grants
Block, Categorical
 
What did the Supreme court hold in South Dakota v. Dole regarding the drinking age be 21?
encouraged states to set drinking age at 21 by threatening to remove their grants in aid for highway construction
 
National mandates can either be __________ or___________
Funded; unfunded
 
What term has been coined to describe today's federal state governmet relationship?
intergovernmental relations
 
What major national event significantly influenced the federal/state relationship?
Civil War
 
According to some scholars, which amendments passage led to a loss of influence of state governments in national policy-making
the seventeenth amendment
 
What type of national grant in aid requires state and local governments to compete for funding by writing needs based proposals
Categorical
 
What supreme court case saw state government opposition to conditions within national grants come to a head?
Massachusetts v Melon
 
Ensuring the survival of necessary grants in aide is a function of whom
intergovernmental lobbies
 
Ensuring the survival of necessary grants in aid is a function of whom
intergovernmental lobbies
 
What are clauses in national laws that direct state and local governments to do something specified by the national government
Mandates