A way of organizing a nation so that two or more levels of government have formal

authority over the same area and people.

Most governments in the world today have unitary governments,

in which all power resides in the central

government.

• In a confederation, the national government is weak and most or all of the power

is in the hands of its components.– European Union– United Nations

The word federalism is not mentioned in the

Constitution.

The 10th Amendment states that “powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited

by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the

people.”

McCulloch v Maryland (1819)– the first case that brought the issue

of state versus national power

before the Supreme Court

Obligations that each state has to every other state.

Full Faith and Credit

ExtraditionPrivileges and Immunities of Citizens

• Dual Federalism is analogous to a layer cake, because in dual federalism, powers and policy assignments of the layers of government are distinct and clear, as in the layers of a layer cake.

• Cooperative Federalism is analogous to a marble cake, because in cooperative federalism, powers and policy assignments are shared between the states and the national government. Responsibilities are mingled and there are blurred distinctions between the levels of government.

The pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal

system.* The cornerstone of the national

government’s relations with state & local governments

There are two major types of federal aid for

states: Categorical grantsBlock grants

The main source of federal aidGrants that can be used only

for specific purposes or categories

You must apply for them and certain qualifications

Come with numerous “strings”

Project Grants—the most common; awarded on the basis of competitive applications

Formula Grants—Distributed according to a formula; states automatically receive funds based on a formula developed from factors such as population

Used to support broad programs in areas like community development and social services

Given almost automaticallyStates have discretion in

deciding how to spend the money