Federalism
When the founding fathers first began drafting of the Constitution, they wanted to create a system of government known as federalism. According to the 8th grade U.S. History textbook, federalism is "... a system that divided powers between the states and the federal government" (144). The Constitution writers believed that this form of government would make the federal government strong enough to protect its citizens but not so strong that is could harm its citizens. In addition, this system would allow the states to control local issues.
The Three Powers of Federalism
Delegated Powers
These are the powers of government that were given to the federal government. Examples of these types of powers include: coining money & regulating trade |
Reserved Powers
These are the powers that are kept by the states. These powers include the power to create local governments and to hold elections |
Concurrent Powers
These are the powers that are shared by the federal and the state governments. Examples of these powers include: taxing & borrowing money |