Who should control? State or Federal Government?
This lesson’s topic of discussion is federalism. The framers wanted to create a government
that was neither too weak nor too strong. Thus, they instituted the concept of federalism,
which is the balancing or sharing of power between the national (i.e., federal) and state
governments. With federalism there are state laws and federal laws that may conflict. Also, the
diversity of state laws and procedures creates situations that may seem unfair to many
citizens. For example, you may not need a permit for a gun in one state but may in another, be
able to smoke marijuana recreationally or not depending on the state, or some state
legislatures may invest more in public education, infrastructure, or healthcare than others.
The Question(s):
1. Define federalism.
2. Why is federalism an important concept for citizens to understand?
3. Are there areas (pick a minimum of 2 topics) which you believe the federal or state
government should be more powerful? For example, should federal officials exercise more
power to require greater uniformity in policy among the states? Should the areas of health
care, education, border security, voting, law enforcement in cities or other such topics be in
the hands of the federal or state governments? Why or why not?
4. Explain how two states differ in one of the topics.
Sample Solution
Another basic concept embodied in the Constitution is federalism, which refers to the division and sharing of power between the national and state governments. By allocating power among state and federal governments, the Framers sought to establish a unified national government of limited powers while maintaining a distinct sphere of autonomy in which state governments could exercise a general police power. The framers of the Constitution chose this system because they believed that although a strong federal government is necessary for certain purposes, they also were committed to strong state governments, which could more effectively address problems of a local nature.
