Understanding Federalism and Its Challenges

Explain how the balance of power between national and state governments in a federal system can lead to both advantages and disadvantages. Provide specific examples to support your explanation.

• The balance of power allows for local control but can cause confusion over jurisdiction.

• The balance of power ensures national unity but can lead to inefficiency in law enforcement.

• The balance of power promotes economic stability but can result in unequal resource distribution.

• The balance of power encourages innovation but can create redundancy in government services.

Answer explanation

The balance of power allows for local control, enabling states to address specific needs effectively. However, this can lead to confusion over jurisdiction, as overlapping authorities may create legal ambiguities and enforcement challenges.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Analyze the impact of the Articles of Confederation's weaknesses on the early United States. How did these weaknesses influence the decision to draft a new constitution?

• The inability to tax led to financial instability, prompting the need for a stronger central government.

• The lack of a national army resulted in successful defense against foreign threats, reducing the need for change.

• The power to regulate trade was sufficient, so economic issues were not a concern.

• The strong central government under the Articles prevented any need for a new constitution.

Answer explanation

The inability to tax under the Articles of Confederation created financial instability, which highlighted the need for a stronger central government. This urgency ultimately influenced the decision to draft a new constitution.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Evaluate the role of federalism in allowing for local control and experimentation. How does this benefit the overall governance of a country?

• Local control allows for tailored policies that can be tested and potentially adopted at the national level.

• Local control leads to uniform policies across all states, reducing experimentation.

• Local control hinders the ability to implement national policies, reducing overall governance efficiency.

• Local control has no significant impact on the governance of a country.

Answer explanation

Local control fosters tailored policies that can be experimented with at the local level. Successful initiatives can then be scaled up to the national level, enhancing overall governance through innovation and adaptability.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Discuss how the lack of power to regulate trade under the Articles of Confederation affected the economic stability of the early United States. Provide specific examples.

• The lack of power to regulate trade led to economic disputes between states, causing instability.

• The lack of power to regulate trade had no impact on economic stability.

• The lack of power to regulate trade allowed for free market principles to thrive, ensuring stability.

• The lack of power to regulate trade resulted in a surplus of goods, stabilizing the economy.

Answer explanation

The lack of power to regulate trade under the Articles of Confederation led to disputes between states over tariffs and trade policies, causing economic instability and hindering interstate commerce.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

How did the inability to maintain a national army under the Articles of Confederation impact the security and defense of the early United States?

• It left the country vulnerable to external threats and internal rebellions.

• It ensured that states could defend themselves without relying on a national army.

• It had no significant impact on the security and defense of the country.

• It strengthened the country's defense by promoting state militias.

Answer explanation

The inability to maintain a national army under the Articles of Confederation left the United States vulnerable to external threats and internal rebellions, as there was no unified military force to respond to such challenges.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Critically assess how federalism can lead to conflicts over jurisdiction between national and state governments. Provide historical or contemporary examples to illustrate your points.

• Federalism can lead to conflicts over jurisdiction, such as disputes over civil rights laws.

• Federalism eliminates conflicts over jurisdiction by clearly defining roles.

• Federalism has no impact on jurisdictional conflicts.

• Federalism ensures that only the national government has jurisdiction over all matters.

Answer explanation

Federalism can lead to jurisdictional conflicts, as seen in civil rights disputes where state laws may contradict federal laws, creating tension over authority and enforcement.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Analyze the reasons why the Articles of Confederation were replaced by the U.S. Constitution. What were the key factors that necessitated this change?

• The Articles created a weak central government that could not effectively manage the country’s needs.

• The Articles provided a strong central government that was too controlling.

• The Articles were effective in managing the country, so no change was needed.

• The Articles allowed for efficient tax collection and a strong national army.

Answer explanation

The Articles of Confederation established a weak central government, which struggled to address national issues like economic instability and defense, leading to the necessity for a stronger framework provided by the U.S. Constitution.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Evaluate the effectiveness of federalism in addressing the diverse needs of a large and varied population. How does this system compare to a unitary system of government?

• Federalism is more effective in addressing diverse needs by allowing local governments to tailor policies.

• Federalism is less effective than a unitary system in addressing diverse needs.

• Federalism and unitary systems are equally effective in addressing diverse needs.

• Federalism does not address the diverse needs of a population.

Answer explanation

Federalism is more effective in addressing diverse needs because it empowers local governments to create policies that reflect the unique circumstances and preferences of their communities, unlike a unitary system that centralizes authority.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

What are powers that are left for the states called?

• Enumerated Powers
• Reserved Powers
• Concurrent Powers
• Expressed Powers

The powers given to the federal government are either expressly stated in the U.S. Constitution, or they are ___. These powers are granted by the elastic clause and are used to carry out expressed powers.

• Reserved
• Concurrent
• Implied
• Expressed