U.S. Government and Civics / Unit 3: Federalism
3.1 Dividing Power
Notes
Federalism divides power between the national government and the states. The Constitution sorts powers into types.
- Delegated (enumerated) powers: listed powers of the national government, such as coining money, declaring war and regulating interstate commerce.
- Implied powers: not listed but "necessary and proper" to carry out listed powers, such as creating a national bank.
- Inherent powers: powers any sovereign nation has, such as controlling borders and conducting foreign relations.
- Reserved powers: kept by the states under the 10th Amendment, such as running elections, schools, marriage laws and police.
- Concurrent powers: shared by both, such as taxing, borrowing money, making and enforcing laws and setting up courts.
- Denied powers: neither may grant titles of nobility; states may not coin money, make treaties or tax imports and exports.
| Power | National | State | Both |
|---|---|---|---|
| Print money | X | ||
| Issue driver's licenses | X | ||
| Collect taxes | X |
Practice
Setting up public schools is mainly an example of a:
Education is not delegated to the national government, so it is reserved to the states.
Which is a concurrent power?
Both national and state governments can borrow money.
A state decides to print its own currency. Why is this unconstitutional?
Article I, Section 10 forbids states from coining money.
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