Unit 5 American Government

Which best defines the situation by local governments in the American federal system?

• They are created by state governments

• They are created by the national government

• They are formed by popular petition

• They are created by the national and state governments working together

Under the U.S. system of federalism, who or what is responsible for the conduct of foreign policy and defence?

• The national government

• The state governments

• The local governments

• International organizations such as the United Nations and NATO

Which system is the most common among democracies in the world?

• Unitary system

• Federal system

• Confederal system

• Cooperative system

A confederal system of government has a _______ central government. A unitary system has a _______ central government.

• Weak; strong

• Strong; weak

• Strong; strong

• Weak; weak

McCulloch vs. Maryland (1819) is an important Supreme Court ruling because:

• It expanded the power of the national government by declaring that federal taxes on state banks were constitutional

• It expanded state government power by declaring that state laws could override the commerce clause

• It strengthened state government power by declaring that Maryland could tax a federal bank under the doctrine of dual sovereignty

The term "states' rights" refers to:

• The right of the states to determine their own laws without interference from the federal government

• The right of any state to secede from the Union

• The powers given to states by their constitutions

• The right of any state to sue the federal government in court

Which political party prefers giving the states flexibility in spending federal money?

• Republican Party

• Democratic Party

Which of the following statements would fall under the principle of coercive federalism?

• The national government uses mandates or regulations without giving states the money to execute and enforce the mandates or regulations

• The national government threatens state governments with military might

• The national government passes new constitutional amendments limiting state power

• The national government threatens to tax residents at a higher rate in states unwilling to cooperate with the goals and policies of the national government

The huge variation in resources that each state has is an argument in favour of:

• Limiting how much power is given to the states

• Allowing states more power

• The Supreme Court having the final say on federalism

• Competitive federalism

What is a disadvantage of a unitary system?

• There is no competition between different political units in unitary systems, which can stifle policy development

• Unitary systems are inefficient and tend to suffer from weak central leadership

• Unitary systems are autocratic, which often leads to rampant government corruption

• Unitary systems allow multiple parties to be included on the ballot, which can confuse voters