What term describes the sharing of power between local, state, and national governments in the United States?

What term describes the sharing of power between local, state, and national governments in the United States?

• A. Confederation
• B. Federalism
• C. Unitary System
• D. Monarchy

Answer: (B)

The term that best describes the sharing of power between local, state, and national governments in the United States is federalism. Federalism is a system of governance where power is divided between a central authority and its constituent parts—in this case, the national, state, and local governments. This division allows each level of government to operate independently while still being interdependent, as they work together on various policies and regulations that affect citizens. In the context of the U.S. government, federalism is a foundational principle established by the Constitution, which delineates the powers of the federal government and reserves certain powers to the states. This system enables a balance that caters to the needs of diverse communities while providing a unified national policy framework. Contrastingly, a confederation refers to a union of sovereign states that delegate certain powers to a central authority, often resulting in a weaker central government. A unitary system centralizes power in the national government, which can make local governments subordinate to it. Monarchy refers to a form of government where a single person reigns, usually as king or queen, and does not involve the same distribution of power among multiple levels of government. These systems highlight why federalism is the most accurate descriptor for the U.S.

The term that best describes the sharing of power between local, state, and national governments in the United States is federalism. Federalism is a system of governance where power is divided between a central authority and its constituent parts—in this case, the national, state, and local governments. This division allows each level of government to operate independently while still being interdependent, as they work together on various policies and regulations that affect citizens.

In the context of the U.S. government, federalism is a foundational principle established by the Constitution, which delineates the powers of the federal government and reserves certain powers to the states. This system enables a balance that caters to the needs of diverse communities while providing a unified national policy framework.

Contrastingly, a confederation refers to a union of sovereign states that delegate certain powers to a central authority, often resulting in a weaker central government. A unitary system centralizes power in the national government, which can make local governments subordinate to it. Monarchy refers to a form of government where a single person reigns, usually as king or queen, and does not involve the same distribution of power among multiple levels of government. These systems highlight why federalism is the most accurate descriptor for the U.S.