Study Questions

  1. Compare and contrast federal, unitary, and confederal systems of government.
  2. What were the problems with the Articles of Confederation, and why did the United States opt for a federal system of government?
  3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of federalism?
  4. Compare and contrast the different types of power granted by the U.S. Constitution.
  5. Discuss two clauses in the U.S. Constitution that deal with the powers of the federal government and two clauses that deal with the powers of state governments.
  6. Compare and contrast the four different stages of federalism with a discussion of the different types of federal grants-in-aid associated with each stage.