Federalism and Separated Powers

Supplied materials

• Paper and pencil; drawing or spoken answers are welcome.
• Topic notes: Federalism: division of authority between national and state governments. Separation of powers: division of federal functions among branches. Checks and balances: defined powers allowing branches to limit one another. Reserved powers: powers retained by states or people under the Tenth Amendment’s terms.
• Original exercise cards: A card describes national and state governments sharing a governing system. / A card separates legislative and judicial work. / A card describes a presidential veto of legislation. / A card identifies powers not delegated to the United States or prohibited to states. / A card divides making, executing and interpreting laws. / A card describes Senate consideration of an executive nomination. / A card explains the Tenth Amendment’s reservation principle. / A card compares state and federal authority.

Learn the idea

Federalism divides governing authority between national and state governments. Separation of powers divides federal functions among branches. Checks and balances let branches limit one another in defined ways. Reserved powers concern powers retained by states or people under the Tenth Amendment. These are distinct dimensions of constitutional design.

Federalism: division of authority between national and state governments. Separation of powers: division of federal functions among branches. Checks and balances: defined powers allowing branches to limit one another. Reserved powers: powers retained by states or people under the Tenth Amendment’s terms.

Tell apart national-and-state authority, separate federal branches, branches limiting one another and the Tenth Amendment’s reservation principle. Read the notes and the word cards. You can write, draw or say your answer.

1. Read the four notes. Find the words Federalism, Separation of powers, Checks and balances, Reserved powers.
2. Tell apart national-and-state authority, separate federal branches, branches limiting one another and the Tenth Amendment’s reservation principle.
3. Read the worked answer. Then try the other cards and explain which words helped you choose.
4. Choose two different examples: one for Federalism and one for Separation of powers. Explain how their clues differ.

Check your reasoning

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Take it further

New card: “A card compares state and federal authority.” Match it with a note, then point to or say the words that helped. Check: The card says: “A card compares state and federal authority.” That matches Federalism. Federalism is division of authority between national and state governments.

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