Lesson 26: How Does American Federalism Work?
What was the status of state governments under the Articles of Confederation? What is their status under the Constitution? (Video)
Status of state governments under the Articles of Confederation; state sovereignty; popular sovereignty; Supremacy Clause; Article VI; the change made by the Constitution to the relationship between the national and state governments; implication of the Ninth and Tenth Amendments; disputes raised by the Ninth and Tenth Amendments; police powers and reserve powers; scope of the powers of state governments; powers not allowed to the states by the Constitution; persistent tensions between the national and state governments; significance of the Supremacy Clause.
Student Questions: Unit 4, Lesson 26, Sections 1-3 (pdf download)
What are the strengths and weaknesses of federal and unitary governments? What are some of the major characteristics of state governments and constitutions? (Video)
Strengths and weaknesses of federal and unitary systems of government; ?laboratories of democracy?; organization and branches of state governments; rights in state constitutions; similarities and differences between the national and state constitutions.
What are some pervasive issues regarding the balance of power between the national and state governments? How do the initiative, referendum, and recall processes reflect popular sovereignty? (Video)
Issues regarding state and national government regulation of commerce; Interstate Commerce Clause; grants-in-aid programs; effects of states as laboratories of democracy; relationship of the initiative, referendum, and recall processes to popular sovereignty and representative democracy.
Why Counties Matter (Video)
This video by the National Association of Counties explains the role counties play in the lives of Americans.
Levinson on State Constitutions (Video)
Sanford Levinson, author of author of "Framed: America's 51 Constitutions and the Crisis of Governance," explains what we can learn from state constitutions.
Federalism: Cram for the Exam (Video)
The two teachers from CitizenU outline the concept of federalism.
60-Second Civics, Episode 44: Judicial Branch of State Government (Audio)
A discussion on the judicial branch of state government.
60-Second Civics, Episode 43: Executive Branch of State Government (Audio)
An examination of the executive branch of state government.
60-Second Civics, Episode 42: State Legislatures (Audio)
A discussion of the legislative branch of state government.
60-Second Civics, Episode 40: Supremacy of Federal Law (Audio)
A discussion of the supremacy of federal law.
60-Second Civics, Episode 41: State Constitutions (Audio)
A discussion of state constitutions and bills of rights.
60-Second Civics, Episode 39: State Governing Powers (Audio)
A discussion of governing powers left to the states by the Constitution.
60-Second Civics, Episode 38: Constitution Prohibits Certain State Powers (Audio)
State governing powers prohibited by the Constitution.
60-Second Civics, Episode 37: States And The Federal Government (Audio)
The role of states in the national government.
60-Second Civics, Episode 36: Role of States in the Federal System (Audio)
The history of the role of states in the American system.
60-Second Civics, Episode 35: Federalism (Audio)
The beginning of our discussion of the American system of federalism.
