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AP US Government The Evolution of American Federalism — practice questions

Explore 8 free The Evolution of American Federalism questions in AP US Government Polity. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.

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The Evolution of American Federalism questions and exercises with answers

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Worked practice questions

The enumerated powers of Congress are listed in:

  1. Article II, Section 2
  2. Article I, Section 8
  3. Article IV, Section 1
  4. Article VI, Clause 2
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Correct answer: B. Article I, Section 8

1. The enumerated powers of the national legislature appear in Article I, Section 8. 2. They define the jurisdictional boundaries within which the federal government may act, covering the general welfare, the common defence, and national integration. 3. Coining money, regulating interstate and foreign commerce, declaring war and raising armies all sit in this list. 4. Article IV, Section 1 is the full faith and credit clause and Article VI carries the supremacy clause, so neither holds the enumerated powers. _Source: OpenStax American Government 3e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 3 "American Federalism", §3.1 The Division of Powers_

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Which of the following is a concurrent power, exercised by both the federal and state governments?

  1. Coining money for circulation
  2. Entering treaties with other countries
  3. Regulating commerce between states
  4. Levying and collecting taxes
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Correct answer: D. Levying and collecting taxes

1. Concurrent powers are those both levels of government hold, and the chapter lists taxing, borrowing, making and enforcing laws, and establishing courts among them. 2. Levying and collecting taxes therefore belongs to both levels. 3. Coining money and entering treaties are expressly denied to the states under Article I, Section 10. 4. Regulating commerce between the states is an enumerated federal power; states regulate only intrastate commerce. _Source: OpenStax American Government 3e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 3 "American Federalism", §3.1 The Division of Powers_

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The supremacy clause is found in which article of the Constitution?

  1. Article VI
  2. Article III
  3. Article V
  4. Article II
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Correct answer: A. Article VI

1. The supremacy clause appears in Article VI of the Constitution. 2. It declares that the Constitution and federal law are the supreme law of the land. 3. Where a state law clashes with a federal law that is within the national government's constitutional authority, the federal law prevails. 4. The chapter stresses that its intent is not to subordinate the states but to affirm that one body of laws binds the country. _Source: OpenStax American Government 3e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 3 "American Federalism", §3.1 The Division of Powers_

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