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The Principles of Government

Federalism: how power is shared between the nation and the states.

NATIONAL STATES Power is divided: that's federalism.

Delegated Powers

Delegated powers are the powers of the National Government. There are three kinds. Click a card to see what it means.

Expressed Powers

Written in the Constitution. Most are listed in Article I, Section 8.
Example: Congress coins money.
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Implied Powers

The Elastic Clause: the “Necessary and Proper” Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 18) stretches Congress's powers to fit new needs.
Example: Congress builds an Interstate Highway System.
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Inherent Powers

Just because it's a nation. Every national government has these powers, whether or not they are written down.
Example: Congress regulates immigration and acquires territory.
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Two more you'll need for the Power Wheel:

Reserved Powers

Powers held by the states. The 10th Amendment reserves to the states the powers not given to the National Government.
Examples: marriage laws, drinking ages, public education, licensing lawyers, plumbers and electricians.
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Concurrent Powers

Both the State and National Governments possess and exercise these powers.
Examples: collecting taxes, making and enforcing laws, borrowing money.
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Name that Power

Everything in this picture is controlled by government power. For each number, pick the power. Point at a number to see it light up in the picture. Stuck? Open the Cheat Sheet.

Cartoon of a gas station scene with ten numbered items
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The Power Wheel

Spin the wheel. It lands on a power. Then decide: is it Expressed, Implied, Inherent, Reserved, or Concurrent?

Click SPIN to start!
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Evolving Federalism

Political scientists use cakes to describe how the National and State Governments share power.

Dual Federalism

“Layer Cake”
National Government State Governments

Each level has its own separate jobs, like two layers that don't mix. The National Government and the states stay in their own areas.

Cooperative Federalism

“Marble Cake”
National State

The levels cooperate on some policies and their jobs swirl together. Political scientist Morton Grodzins called it “marble-cake federalism.” It has grown since the New Deal, often through federal grants that encourage, rather than command, the states.

States Working Together

The Northwest Ordinance

The Township

The Land Ordinance of 1785 divided western land into townships, 6 miles square. Each township held 36 sections of 1 square mile, or 640 acres.

Click a section in the township.

Section 16 was set aside to support public schools.

The Northwest Ordinance, 1787

  • Set up a government for the Northwest Territory.
  • When a territory had 60,000 free inhabitants, it could ask to become a state, equal to the original states.
  • Banned slavery in the territory and encouraged schools.
  • Five states came from it: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin (plus part of Minnesota).

Steps to Become a State

Build the staircase to statehood, one step at a time. Click Next Step.

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The Cabinet

Match each Cabinet member to the department's job. Click a name, then click the box beside the job (or drag the name onto it).

The Password Lightning Round

Cartoon of Dwight D. Eisenhower
Directions: Click the Start button. Match the clues from the host with the correct term.
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