Federal System Flashcards

Which constitutional clause grants Congress the power to make all laws 'necessary and proper' for carrying out its enumerated powers?

Answer: Elastic Clause

The Elastic (Necessary and Proper) Clause in Article I, Section 8 allows Congress to stretch its powers to fulfill its enumerated duties.

Under the federal system, which level of government has exclusive authority to coin money?

Answer: The federal government

Article I explicitly grants the federal government the sole power to coin money and regulate its value.

What term describes powers that are shared between the federal government and state governments?

Answer: Concurrent powers

Concurrent powers, such as taxing and enforcing laws, are held simultaneously by both the federal and state governments.

Which amendment formally established the principle that powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states or the people?

Answer: Tenth Amendment

The Tenth Amendment explicitly reserves undelegated powers to the states or the people, reinforcing federalism.

In McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), the Supreme Court ruled that Maryland could NOT tax the national bank because of which constitutional principle?

Answer: Federal supremacy

Chief Justice Marshall held that federal law is supreme and states cannot interfere with constitutional federal operations.

Which type of federalism, dominant in the early republic, held that state and national governments operated in separate, distinct spheres?

Answer: Dual federalism

Dual (layer-cake) federalism envisioned state and national governments as sovereign within their own clearly defined domains.

Federal grants given to states with specific conditions and spending requirements attached are called:

Answer: Categorical grants

Categorical grants come with strict federal strings dictating exactly how the money must be spent.