Federalism and Government Powers

Reno v. Condon

A court case that supported the power of the federal government to regulate the driving records of U.S. citizens. This ruling increased federal power.

Gibbons v. Ogden

The first Supreme Court case to use the Commerce Clause, which states that the federal government can regulate business conducted between states.

Supreme Court interpretation of the Supremacy Clause

The Supreme Court has changed many times throughout the history of the United States, resulting in a changing, fluid interpretation of the Supremacy Clause.

New federalism

A system that grants states more power over state-specific issues, while still acknowledging the federal government as the ultimate authority.

Tenth Amendment

The powers that aren't assigned to the federal government by the Constitution are given to the states.

Furman v. Georgia

A Supreme Court case which deemed that the death penalty statutes of all states were unconstitutional.

Devolution

When powers are transferred from the federal level to the state level.

Local government

Comprised of municipal governments and county governments, including the management of government-run operations of the county, the district, the city, and the town.

McCulloch v. Maryland

A court case that increased the federal government's power by striking down a law that wanted to force that government to pay taxes.

Dual federalism

When the responsibilities of the federal government and a state government are separate and distinct.

Cooperative federalism

When the federal government and the government of a state work together.

Dual Sovereignty Doctrine

This doctrine allows more than one entity to prosecute someone accused of a crime if that individual broke the laws of each entity.

Municipal Government

The part of the government that provides towns and cities with services related to the police, fire, parks, public transport, and more.

Nullification

The belief that states shouldn't support federal laws that are unconstitutional in nature is supported by this legal principle.

Progressive federalism

A trend that grants the federal government more power over issues conventionally overseen by the state, such as education and health care.