- Subject:
- Political Science
- Material Type:
- Module
- Level:
- Community College / Lower Division
- Provider:
- Ohio Open Ed Collaborative
- Tags:
- License:
- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0
- Language:
- English
- Media Formats:
- Text/HTML
Federalism (Independence Hall Association)
American Government - Lumen Learning
The Federalist Papers
The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which Framed the Constitution of the United States - Vol. 1
The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which Framed the Constitution of the United States - Vol. 2
Video – What is Federalism?
Video – Federalism: Crash Course Government and Politics
Creation of a Federal System: Course Map & Recommended Resources
Overview
Creation of a Federal System
The resources included here are intended to map to the following learning objectives for an American Government Course:
- Describe key features of a federalist system, both in general and within the United States constitution.
- Identify the ways in which federal funds influence and support state and local governments
- Identify key moments in U.S. history where the Supreme Court has impacted federalism
- Analyze how grants and unfunded mandates shape the balance power between state and federal governments.
- Identify the benefits and problems a federal system creates.
- Analyze contemporary issues where there are disagreements over which level of government should control specific policies.
Recommended Textbook
Main Text: American Government - Lumen Learning
Discussion Questions and Key Concepts
Discussion Questions
- What is meant by a “federal system?”
- Distinguish federalism, unitary system, and a confederacy. Provide an example of each.
- Examine the evolution of federalism. Explain the different eras and provide particular examples of what federalism looked like during those time periods.
- How does John C. Calhoun’s “doctrine of nullification” connect with state’s rights? Is the concept of “states’ rights” relevant today? Why or why not?
Key terms or concepts (define):
- Block grants
- Categorical Grants
- Concurrent Powers
- Confederacy
- Contemporary Federalism
- Cooperative Federalism
- Dual Federalism
- Enumerated Powers
- Federalism
- Implied Powers
- Reserved Powers
- Revenue Sharing
- Supremacy Clause
- Unitary system
Supreme Court Cases
- Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
- Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
- Hammer v. Dagenhart (1918)
- Lochner v. New York (1905)
- McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
- Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States (1935)
Other Materials
Web-Based Resources
Primary Documents
- The Federalist Papers
- The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which Framed the Constitution of the United States - Vol. 1
- The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which Framed the Constitution of the United States - Vol. 2