Lesson 4: Federalism and the Division of Power

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”--The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

The founders of the United States believed that the Federal Government and the governments of the various states were separate entities that needed to work together in their separate spheres for the common welfare of the people. Unfortunately, federalism--the division between the 3 branches of the federal government and each of the governments of the various states--has never been as clearly defined as indicated by this chart.

Simply stated, federalism is the division between the 3 branches of the federal government and each of the governments of the various states. Federalism was a guiding concept of the United States government until people began to believe that the power of the Federal Government in Washington D.C. was needed to intercede upon the behalf of the people and the states to solve the problems that arose from industrialization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The past decade has seen a renewed interest in federalism as the people of the the various states have challenged the Federal Government’s power. The continuing controversy over No Child Left Behind, the Affordable Healthcare Act, and Common Core Standards are all examples of the American people exerting their support for federalism. In this lesson, you will learn how to explain federalism and distinguish between those powers and the powers retained by the people and the states.

Standard 6

The United States government has specific functions that are determined by the way that power is delegated and controlled among various bodies: the three levels (federal, state, local) and the three branches (legislative, executive, judicial) of government.

Benchmark 9.1.4.6.1:

Explain federalism and the provisions of the United States Constitution which delegate to

 the federal government the powers necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was established; distinguish between those powers and the powers retained by the people and the states. For example: Necessary and Proper Clause (“elastic clause”), Commerce Clause, Ninth and Tenth Amendments. 

Essential Question:

How has federalism both promoted and hindered freedom in the history of the United States?