US Federalism MCQs with Answer
What does the concept of federalism in the United States refer to?
A) The centralization of power in the federal government
B) The division of power between the federal and state governments
C) The separation of powers within the federal government
D) The dominance of state governments over the federal government
Answer: B) The division of power between the federal and state governments
Which part of the US Constitution outlines the division of powers between the federal and state governments?
A) Article I
B) Article II
C) Article III
D) Tenth Amendment
Answer: D) Tenth Amendment
Which doctrine establishes that the federal government has certain implied powers necessary to carry out its enumerated powers?
A) States’ rights doctrine
B) Supremacy doctrine
C) Reserved powers doctrine
D) Necessary and proper clause
Answer: D) Necessary and proper clause
In the United States, which powers are specifically granted to the federal government?
A) Reserved powers
B) Enumerated powers
C) Concurrent powers
D) Implied powers
Answer: B) Enumerated powers
Which clause of the US Constitution ensures that federal laws and the US Constitution are the supreme law of the land?
A) Supremacy clause
B) Elastic clause
C) Commerce clause
D) Due process clause
Answer: A) Supremacy clause
Which level of government is responsible for regulating commerce within individual states?
A) Federal government
B) State governments
C) Local governments
D) Tribal governments
Answer: A) Federal government
Which clause of the US Constitution grants Congress the power to regulate commerce among the states?
A) Necessary and proper clause
B) Commerce clause
C) Supremacy clause
D) Establishment clause
Answer: B) Commerce clause
Which type of grant-in-aid allows the federal government to provide states with funds for a specific purpose?
A) Categorical grant
B) Block grant
C) Project grant
D) Mandate grant
Answer: A) Categorical grant
Which type of federalism is characterized by distinct layers of government, each with its own responsibilities and functions?
A) Cooperative federalism
B) Dual federalism
C) Centralized federalism
D) Devolution federalism
Answer: B) Dual federalism
Which case established the principle of implied powers and upheld the constitutionality of the Bank of the United States?
A) Marbury v. Madison
B) McCulloch v. Maryland
C) Plessy v. Ferguson
D) Brown v. Board of Education
Answer: B) McCulloch v. Maryland
The power to establish and maintain schools is an example of which type of power?
A) Enumerated power
B) Implied power
C) Reserved power
D) Concurrent power
Answer: C) Reserved power
Which amendment to the US Constitution reserves powers to the states that are not delegated to the federal government?
A) First Amendment
B) Ninth Amendment
C) Tenth Amendment
D) Fourteenth Amendment
Answer: C) Tenth Amendment
The power to levy taxes is an example of which type of power shared by both federal and state governments?
A) Enumerated power
B) Implied power
C) Reserved power
D) Concurrent power
Answer: D) Concurrent power
Which clause of the US Constitution requires states to honor the public acts, records, and court decisions of other states?
A) Privileges and Immunities clause
B) Full Faith and Credit clause
C) Supremacy clause
D) Due Process clause
Answer: B) Full Faith and Credit clause
The power to establish post offices and post roads is an example of which type of power?
A) Enumerated power
B) Implied power
C) Reserved power
D) Concurrent power
Answer: A) Enumerated power
Which case established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution and determine the constitutionality of laws?
A) Marbury v. Madison
B) McCulloch v. Maryland
C) Brown v. Board of Education
D) Roe v. Wade
Answer: A) Marbury v. Madison
Which doctrine holds that state governments have certain powers that are separate from the federal government’s powers?
A) Supremacy doctrine
B) Reserved powers doctrine
C) Necessary and proper doctrine
D) Enumerated powers doctrine
Answer: B) Reserved powers doctrine
The power to establish a national bank is an example of which type of power?
A) Enumerated power
B) Implied power
C) Reserved power
D) Concurrent power
Answer: B) Implied power
Which constitutional principle allows the federal government to share powers with the states?
A) Supremacy principle
B) Enumerated principle
C) Dual principle
D) Federal principle
Answer: D) Federal principle
Which type of grant-in-aid provides states with broad discretion in how to use the federal funds?
A) Categorical grant
B) Block grant
C) Project grant
D) Mandate grant
Answer: B) Block grant
The power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce is an example of which type of power?
A) Enumerated power
B) Implied power
C) Reserved power
D) Concurrent power
Answer: A) Enumerated power
Which case established the principle that the federal government’s power to regulate interstate commerce extends to intrastate activities that substantially affect interstate commerce?
A) Marbury v. Madison
B) Gibbons v. Ogden
C) McCulloch v. Maryland
D) Brown v. Board of Education
Answer: B) Gibbons v. Ogden
Which amendment to the US Constitution allows Congress to regulate and tax income?
A) Sixteenth Amendment
B) Seventeenth Amendment
C) Eighteenth Amendment
D) Nineteenth Amendment
Answer: A) Sixteenth Amendment
Which clause of the US Constitution allows Congress to make all laws that are “necessary and proper” for carrying out its enumerated powers?
A) Elastic clause
B) Supremacy clause
C) Commerce clause
D) Establishment clause
Answer: A) Elastic clause
The power to establish and maintain a court system is an example of which type of power?
A) Enumerated power
B) Implied power
C) Reserved power
D) Concurrent power
Answer: B) Implied power
The system of federalism in the United States is intended to achieve which important principle?
A) Centralized government control
B) State sovereignty
C) Strong national religion
D) Division of power
Answer: D) Division of power
Which term refers to powers that are shared by both the federal and state governments in the United States?
A) Enumerated powers
B) Reserved powers
C) Concurrent powers
D) Exclusive powers
Answer: C) Concurrent powers
Which amendment to the US Constitution is known as the “states’ rights” amendment, emphasizing the limits of federal power?
A) Tenth Amendment
B) Ninth Amendment
C) Twelfth Amendment
D) Eleventh Amendment
Answer: A) Tenth Amendment
Which type of federalism emphasizes cooperation and shared policy responsibilities between the federal and state governments?
A) Cooperative federalism
B) Dual federalism
C) Centralized federalism
D) Devolution federalism
Answer: A) Cooperative federalism
The power to conduct foreign relations is an example of which type of power?
A) Enumerated power
B) Implied power
C) Reserved power
D) Concurrent power
Answer: A) Enumerated power
Which type of grant-in-aid is provided to states with the condition that they spend the funds in accordance with specific federal guidelines?
A) Categorical grant
B) Block grant
C) Project grant
D) Mandate grant
Answer: A) Categorical grant
Which case established the principle that federal law takes precedence over state law in cases of conflict?
A) Marbury v. Madison
B) McCulloch v. Maryland
C) Gibbons v. Ogden
D) Brown v. Board of Education
Answer: B) McCulloch v. Maryland
The power to coin money is an example of which type of power?
A) Enumerated power
B) Implied power
C) Reserved power
D) Concurrent power
Answer: A) Enumerated power
Which clause of the US Constitution prevents states from denying “privileges and immunities” to citizens of other states?
A) Full Faith and Credit clause
B) Supremacy clause
C) Necessary and proper clause
D) Privileges and Immunities clause
Answer: D) Privileges and Immunities clause
Which type of federalism emphasizes a clear and distinct separation of powers between federal and state governments?
A) Cooperative federalism
B) Dual federalism
C) Centralized federalism
D) Devolution federalism
Answer: B) Dual federalism
Which case ruled that state governments cannot tax the federal government, reinforcing the supremacy of federal law?
A) Marbury v. Madison
B) McCulloch v. Maryland
C) Gibbons v. Ogden
D) Brown v. Board of Education
Answer: B) McCulloch v. Maryland
The power to establish and maintain a police force is an example of which type of power?
A) Enumerated power
B) Implied power
C) Reserved power
D) Concurrent power
Answer: C) Reserved power
Which doctrine holds that the federal government is supreme over state governments and that federal law takes precedence?
A) Supremacy doctrine
B) Reserved powers doctrine
C) Necessary and proper doctrine
D) Enumerated powers doctrine
Answer: A) Supremacy doctrine
The power to declare war is an example of which type of power?
A) Enumerated power
B) Implied power
C) Reserved power
D) Concurrent power
Answer: A) Enumerated power
Which amendment to the US Constitution gives Congress the power to regulate commerce among the states?
A) First Amendment
B) Second Amendment
C) Commerce Amendment
D) Commerce Clause
Answer: D) Commerce Clause