Section 3: What powers does the federal government have?

Section 3: What powers does the federal government have?

Three Levels of Government

• Federal (National)

• State

• Local (City, Township, County)

Who decides?

• When writing the Constitution, the Framers decided what powers the state government would have and what powers the federal government would have

• Why didn't they want the federal government to have all the power?

Laws

• The states and federal government can make the laws

• Laws are one of the main ways the government keeps people safe and maintains order.

• Why couldn’t the federal government make all the laws?

• People argued that the states had different types of geography, different problems and different needs.

Shared Powers

• Shared powers are powers that both the state and federal government share, like making laws.

• What other powers do you think the Framers made shared?

• What powers do you think were given only to the federal government?

• Play the interactive to find out.

Supremacy Clause

• Supremacy Clause protects the country from being controlled by one state,

• This part of the Constitution means that:

•  States cannot make laws that are in conflict with the U. S. Constitution. 

• States cannot make laws that are in conflict with laws made by the U.S. Congress 

Writing Prompt

“If men were angels no government would be necessary.” -James Madison 4th U.S. President 

Read the quote again. Then, explain what it means in your own words.