Federal System Flashcards
7 cards from real US practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Federal System flashcards as text
The Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution requires states to:
Answer: Honor the public acts and judicial decisions of other states
Article IV's Full Faith and Credit Clause ensures that legal judgments and official records of one state are recognized by all other states.
Which Supreme Court case established that states cannot nullify or void federal laws they consider unconstitutional?
Answer: Ableman v. Booth (1859)
Ableman v. Booth held that state courts cannot nullify federal law, firmly rejecting the nullification doctrine.
The Privileges and Immunities Clause prevents states from:
Answer: Discriminating against citizens of other states without substantial justification
Article IV's Privileges and Immunities Clause bars states from treating out-of-state citizens in a fundamentally discriminatory way.
Federal mandates that require states to implement policies but provide NO funding to cover the costs are called:
Answer: Unfunded mandates
Unfunded mandates impose federal requirements on states without providing money to comply, a major source of state-federal tension.
Which constitutional provision allows Congress to regulate commerce 'among the several states,' becoming a major source of expanded federal power?
Answer: Commerce Clause
The Commerce Clause (Article I, Section 8) has been interpreted broadly to allow federal regulation of nearly all economic activity affecting interstate trade.
The model of federalism that emerged during the New Deal era, emphasizing cooperation and joint programs between state and federal governments, is called:
Answer: Marble-cake federalism
Cooperative (marble-cake) federalism blends federal and state responsibilities rather than keeping them in separate spheres.
When state law and federal law conflict on the same subject matter, which law prevails under the Constitution?
Answer: Federal law prevails under the Supremacy Clause
The Supremacy Clause (Article VI) makes federal law the 'supreme law of the land,' overriding conflicting state laws.