Adair County R-1 Social Studies
  • Mr. Sullivan's Classes
  • 2015-2016
    • Personal Finance 2015-2016 >
      • Checking Accounts
      • The Best Jobs and the Worst Jobs
    • Missouri History 2015-2016 >
      • Missouri Unit One: Geography
      • Missouri Unit Two: Demographics
      • Missouri Unit Three: Native Americans >
        • Blog: Native Americans In Missouri Project
      • Missouri Unit Four: Arrival of Europeans >
        • Missouri Unit Four: Part Two-Americans
      • Missouri Unit Five: Countdown to Statehood >
        • Missouri and its Capital City
      • Missouri Unit Six: Missouri's Early Days (1821-1860) >
        • Fur Trappers
        • Pony Express
        • Steamboats
        • Railroads
      • Irish Immigration in Missouri
      • German Immigration to Missouri
      • Age of Benton >
        • Lewis Linn: Missouri's Model Senator
        • David Rice Atchison
        • Frederick Bates
        • John Scott
      • Missouri Unit Seven: Civil War >
        • Slavery
        • Missouri Prior to the Civil War
        • John Scott and Abolitionism
        • 1861 >
          • Salem Ford Project
          • Civil War in Missouri Google Map Project
        • 1862
        • 1863
        • 1864
        • 1865
      • Missouri Unit Seven: Civil War
      • Missouri Unit Eight: Late 19th Century >
        • Radical Rule in Missouri >
          • The First Normal School
          • Missouri Outlaws
          • 1875 Constitution
          • Farmers and Governent
        • Kirksville Tornado, April 27, 1899
        • Kansas City
        • St. Louis
        • Champ Clark
      • Missouri Unit Nine: Missouri At War (Spanish-American War, World War One, World War Two >
        • Missouri Artists and Authors
      • Misouri Unit Ten: Developing Society (1945-1980)
      • Missouri Unit Eleven: Famous Missourians >
        • Boss Tom Pendergast
        • Harry S Truman (1884-1944)
    • American History I 8th Grade 2014-2015 >
      • American History I 8th Grade 2014-2015
      • Unit One: Geography
      • Unit Two: Early North American Cultures >
        • Early Inhabitants (Chapter One)
        • Chapter One Section One
        • Section 1 Early Peoples
        • Section 2 Cities and Empires
        • Chapter One Section Two
        • Chapter One Section Three
        • Section 3 North American Peoples
      • Chapter Two: Exploring the Americas >
        • Chapter Two Section One: A Changing World
        • Section 1 A Changing World
        • Chapter Two Section Two: Early Exploration
        • Section 2 Early Explorations
        • Chapter Two Section Three: Spain in America
        • Chapter Two Section Four: Exploring North America
      • Chapter Three: Colonial America >
        • Chapter Three Section One: Early English Settlements
        • Chapter Three Section Two: New England Colonies
        • Chapter Three Section Three: Middle Colonies
        • Chapter Three Section Four: Southern Colonies
      • Chapter Four: The Colonies Grow >
        • Chapter Four Section One: Life in the Colonies
        • Chapter Four Section Two: Government, Religion, Culture
        • Chapter Four Section Three: France and Britain Clash
        • Chapter Four Section Four: The French and India War
      • Unit Three Origins of Our Nation 1763-1791 >
        • The American Revolution (Chapter Six) >
          • Section 1 The Early Years
          • Section 2 The War Continues
          • Section 3 The War Moves West and South
          • Section 4 The War Is Won
        • A More Perfect Union (Chapter Seven) >
          • Section 1 The Articles of Confederation
          • Section 2 Convention and Compromise
          • Section 3 A New Plan of Government
      • Unit Three: Europeans and the Americans
      • Unit Six Civil War and Reconstruction 1846-1896
      • The Road of Turmoil (Chapter Fifteen)
      • The War Between The States (Chapter Sixteen)
      • Reconstruction-Carpetbaggers and Bluebellies (Chapter Seventeen)
    • American Government 3rd Hour-Second Semester >
      • Chapter One "People and Government" >
        • Section 1 "Principles of Government
        • Section 2 "The Formation of Governments"
        • Section 3 "Types of Government"
        • Section 4 "Economic Theories"
      • Government-Chapter Two Origins of American Government
      • Government Chapter Three-The Constitution
      • Government Chapter Three-The Constitution
    • Seventh Grade Civics 2014-2015 >
      • Unit One Foundations of Citizenship [Chapters 1 & 2] >
        • Citizenship and Government in Democracy (Chapter One) >
          • Section One Government of the People, by the People, for the People
          • Section Two The Path to Citizenship
          • Section Three The Diversity of Americans
        • Roots of American Democracy (Chapter Two) >
          • Section One English Heritage of Our Nation >
            • Blog: Seventh Grade Chapter Two Section One
          • Section Two The Birth of a Democratic Nation >
            • Blog: The Boston Tea Party
          • Section Three The Nation's First Governments
          • Chapter Two: The First & Second Continental Congresses and the Declaration of Independence >
            • Declaration of Independence >
              • The Declaration of Independence
              • Blog:Declaration of Independence
          • Section Three The Nation's First Governments
      • Unit Two Blueprint for a New Nation [Chapters 3 & 4] >
        • Signing the Constitution
        • The Constitution (Chapter Three) >
          • Section One The Road to the Constitution
          • Section Two Creating and Ratifying the Constitution
          • The United States Constitution
          • Section Three The Structure of the Constitution
          • Section Four Principles Underlying the Constitution
        • Section One The President and Vice President
        • The Bill of Rights (Chapter Four) >
          • Section One First Amendment Freedoms
          • Section Two Other Guarantees in the Bill of Rights
          • Section Three Extending the Bill of Rights
      • Unit Three Citizenship: Rights and Responsibilities [Chapters 5-8] (New: Ch. 5, 9, 10, 11 resp.) >
        • The Citizen and the Community (Chapter Five) >
          • Section One The Rights of Citizens
          • Section Two The Duties and Responsibilities of Citizenship
          • Section Three Volunteering in Your Community
        • Political Parties and Politics (Chapter Six) (New Ch. 9) >
          • Section One Development of American Politics
          • Section Two Organization of American Political Parties
          • Section Three Role of Political Parties Today
        • Voting and Elections (Chapter Seven) (New Ch 10) >
          • Section One Definition of a Voter
          • Section Two Election Campaigns
          • Section Three Elections and Funding the Campaign
        • Influencing Government Through Public Opinion and Interest Groups (Chapter Eight) (New Ch. 11) >
          • Section One Public Opinion
          • Section Two The Mass Media
          • Section Three Interest Groups
      • Unit Four The National Government (Chapters 9-12) (New Ch. 6-8) >
        • Congress (Chapter Nine) (New Ch. 6) >
          • Section One How Congress is Organized
          • Section Two The Powers of Congress
          • Section Three Representing the People
          • Section Four How a Bill Becomes a Law
        • The Presidency and the Executive Branch (Chapters Ten & Eleven) (New Ch. 7) >
          • Section One The President and Vice President
          • Section Two The President's Job
          • Section Three Making Foreign Policy
          • Section Four Presidential Advisers and Executive Agencies
        • The Judicial Branch (Chapter Twelve) (new Ch. 8) >
          • Section One The Federal Court System
          • Judicial Section Two
          • Section Two How Federal Courts are Organized
          • Section Three The United States Supreme Court
          • Section Four Presidential Advisers and Executive Agencies
      • Unit Five Political Parties and Interest Groups (Chap 6-8) (New Ch. 9-11)
      • Unit Six State and Local Government (Chapters 13-15) (New Ch. 12-14) >
        • State Government (Chapter 13) (New Ch. 12) >
          • Section One the Federal System
          • Section Two The State Executive Branch
          • Section Three The State Legislative Brancy
          • Section Four The State Judicial Branch
        • Local Government (Chapter 14) (New Ch. 13) >
          • Section One County Government
          • Section Two Town, Township, & Village Governments
          • Section Three City Government
        • Community Issues (Chapter 15) (New Ch. 14) >
          • Ch14sec2 Education and Social issues
          • Environmental Issues (Chap. 14, Sec. 3)
      • Unit Seven The Individual, the Law, and the Internet >
        • Legal Rights and Responsibilities (Chapter 16) (New Ch. 15) >
          • Section One The Source of Our Laws
          • Section Two Legal Rights and Responsibilies
          • Section Three Types of Laws
        • Civil and Criminal Law (Chapter 17) (New Ch. 16) >
          • Section One Civil Cases
          • Section Two Criminal Cases
          • Section Four Young People and the Courts
      • Chapter Twelve The Judicial Branch
      • Resources and Assignments
  • 2013-2014
    • History of the West >
      • Chapter 14 The Vision of Sitting Bull >
        • Biographies of Important Participants
      • Chapter Sixteen-Chief Joseph and the Nez Perces
      • Chapter Nineteen-Paiute and Shoshone Indians
      • Resource and Assignment Page
    • Advanced American History >
      • Documenting Life in Photographs >
        • The Magnet Mother
        • Dorothea Lange
        • Walker Evans
        • Marion Post Wolcott
        • Otto Hagel
        • Alfred Eisenstaedt
        • Eddie Adams
        • Peter Stackpole
      • The Dust Bowl
      • Student Pages >
        • Franklin Delano Roosevelt-New Nationalism
        • The Grenada Invasion
        • The Persian Gulf War
        • Pictures
        • Photographs of the 1930's
        • Wounded Knee Incident of 1973
        • The Shaker Religon
        • Racial Acts Against Asians
        • The Alamo
        • The Life and Legend of Jedediah Smith
        • The War of 1812
        • Meriwether Lewis: An American Hero
        • Daniel Boone: American Trailblazer
        • Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley-"Molly Pitcher."
        • John "Liver Eating" Johnston
        • Nathan Hale
        • Anne Hutchinson
        • Treaty of Paris
        • Annie Oakley
        • The Pony Express
        • Mormon Religion
        • Government and Racism
        • Racial Tensions
        • Chinese Immigration Act
        • Anti-Asian Conflicts in the United States
        • Racial Acts Against Asians
        • May Day Riots
        • The Imperialism of Alaska
        • Nicaragua
      • Chapter Three: The English Colonies >
        • King Philip's War
      • Salem Witch Trials
      • Utopian Societies
      • Utopian Communities
    • Personal Finance 3rd Hour >
      • Resource and Assignment Page
    • Seventh Grade Civics >
      • Chapter Twelve The Judicial Branch >
        • Section One "The Federal Court System"
        • Section Two "The Lower Federal Courts"
        • Section Three "The United States Supreme Court"
        • Section Four "The Court at Work"
      • Resources and Assignments
    • Missouri History >
      • Chariton Collector
      • Coal mining in Northeast Missouri
      • German Immigration to Missouri
    • American History I >
      • Chapter Seven "A More Perfect Union" >
        • Section One "The Articles of Confederation
        • Section Two "Convention and Compromise"
        • Section Three "A New Plan of Government"
        • Resources
      • Civics In Action: The Constitution >
        • Section One "The Constitution"
        • Section Two "The Federal Government"
        • Section Three "Citizens' Rights and Responsibilities"
      • Unit Four "The New Republic" >
        • Chapter Eight "A New Nation" >
          • Section One "The First President"
          • Section Two "Early Challenges"
          • Section Three "The First Political Parties"
        • Chapter Nine "The Jefferson Era" >
          • Section One "The Republicans Take Power"
          • Section Two "The Louisiana Purchase"
          • Section Three "A Time of Conflict"
          • Section Four "The War of 1812"
        • Chapter Ten "Growth and Expansion" >
          • Section One "Economic Growth"
          • Section Two "Westward Bound"
          • Section Three "Unity and Sectionalism"
        • Unit Five "The Growing Nation" >
          • Chapter Eleven "The Jackson Era" >
            • Section One "Jacksonian Democracy"
            • Section Two "Conflicts Over Land"
            • Section Three "Jackson and the Bank"
          • Chapter Twelve "Manifest Destiny" >
            • Section One "The Oregon Country"
            • Section Two "Independence for Texas"
            • Section Three "New Settlers In California and Utah"
          • Chapter Thirteen "North and South" >
            • Section One "The North's Economy"
            • Section Two "The North's People"
            • Section Three "Southern Cotton Kingdom"
            • Section Four "The South's People"
          • Chapter Fourteen "The Age of Reform" >
            • Section One "Social Reform"
            • Section Two "The Abolitionists"
            • Section Three "The Women's Movement"
          • Unit Six "Civil War and Reconstruction" >
            • Chapter Fifteen "Road To Civil War" >
              • Section One "Slavery and the West"
              • Section Two "A Nation Dividing"
              • Section Three "Challenges to Slavery"
              • Section Four "Secession and War"
            • Chapter Sixteen "The Civil War" >
              • Section One "The Two Sides"
              • Section Two "Early Years of the War"
              • Section Three "A Call for Freedom"
              • Section Four "Life During the Civil War"
              • Section Five "The Way to Victory"
            • Chapter Seventeen "Reconstruction and Its Aftermath" >
              • Section One "Reconstruction Plans"
              • Section Two "Radicals in Control"
              • Section Three ""The South During Reconstruction
              • Section Four "Change in the South"
          • French and Indian War
          • Resource and Assignment Page
      • Personal Finance 7th Hour
      • Pop Culture-Second Semester >
        • Levittown and American Suburbia
        • "You're Next! You're Next!" The Saga of Invasion of the Body Snatchers
        • Resource and Assignment Page
      • American Government 3rd Hour-Second Semester >
        • Chapter One "People and Government" >
          • Section 1 "Principles of Government
          • Section 2 "The Formation of Governments"
          • Section 3 "Types of Government"
          • Section 4 "Economic Theories"
        • Government Chapter Three-The Constitution
        • Chapter 5 The Legislative Branch
        • Chapter Twenty-One "Social and Domestic Policy"
        • Resource and Assignment Page
      • American Government 7th Hour-Second Semester >
        • Chapter One "People and Government" >
          • Section 1 "Principles of Government
          • Section 2 "The Formation of Governments"
          • Section 3 "Types of Government"
          • Section 4 "Economic Theories"
        • Government Chapter Three-The Constitution
        • Chapter Twenty-One "Social and Domestic Policy"
        • Resource and Assignment Page
  • test page
  • Mr. Sullivan's Classes 2014-2015
    • Missouri History 2015 >
      • Missouri Unit One: Geography
      • Missouri Unit Two: Demographics
      • Missouri Unit Three: Native Americans >
        • Blog: Native Americans In Missouri Project
      • Missouri Unit Four: Arrival of Europeans >
        • Missouri Unit Four: Part Two-Americans
      • Missouri Unit Five: Countdown to Statehood
      • Missouri Unit Six: Missouri's Early Days (1821-1860) >
        • Fur Trappers
        • Pony Express
        • Steamboats
        • Railroads
      • Missouri Unit Seven: Civil War >
        • Slavery
        • Missouri Prior to the Civil War
        • 1861
        • Salem Ford Project
        • 1862
        • 1863
        • 1864
        • 1865
      • Missouri Unit Eight: Late 19th Century >
        • Kansas City
        • St. Louis
      • Missouri Unit Nine: Missouri At War (Spanish-American War, World War One, World War Two
      • Misouri Unit Ten: Developing Society (1945-1980)
      • Missouri Unit Eleven: Famous Missourians
    • History of the West 2014
    • Advanced American History 2014-2015 >
      • Minorities and Eurocentrism
      • Washington D.C. Sites
      • Do Historians Get it Right?
      • The First Americans
      • Blog: The Real Columbus
      • Blog: Witchcraft in America
      • War of 1812
    • American History I 8th Grade 2014-2015 >
      • Unit One Prehistory to 17th Century >
        • Early Inhabitants (Chapter One) >
          • Section 1 Early Peoples
          • Section 2 Cities and Empires
          • Section 3 North American Peoples
        • European Exploration (Chapter Two) >
          • Section 1 A Changing World
          • Section 2 Early Explorations
          • Section 3 Spain in America
          • Section 4 Exploring North America
      • Unit Two Colonial America 1587-1770 >
        • English Colonial America (Chapter Three) >
          • Section 1 Early English Settlements
          • Section 2 New England Colonies
          • Section 3 Middle Colonies
          • Section 4 Southern Colonies
          • King Philip's War
        • Growth of the Colonies (Chapter Four) >
          • Section 1 Life in the Colonies
          • Section 2 Government, Religion, and Culture
          • Section 3 France and Britain Clash
          • Section 4 The French and Indian War
      • Unit Three Origins of Our Nation 1763-1791 >
        • Route to Independence (Chapter Five) >
          • Section 1 Taxation Without Representation
          • Section 2 Building Colonial Unity
          • Section 3 A Call to Arms
          • Section 4 Moving Toward Independence
        • The American Revolution (Chapter Six) >
          • Section 1 The Early Years
          • Section 2 The War Continues
          • Section 3 The War Moves West and South
          • Section 4 The War Is Won
        • A More Perfect Union (Chapter Seven) >
          • Section 1 The Articles of Confederation
          • Section 2 Convention and Compromise
          • Section 3 A New Plan of Government
      • Unit Four We The People 1789-1825 >
        • America in Infancy (Chapter Eight) >
          • Section 1 The First President
          • Section 2 Early Challenges
          • Section 3 The First Political Parties
        • Jeffersonian America (Chapter Nine) >
          • Section 1 The Republicans Take Power
          • Section 2 The Louisiana Purchase
          • Section 3 A Time of Conflict
          • Section 4 The War of 1812
        • Growth and Expansion (Chapter Ten) >
          • Section 1 Economic Growth
          • Section Two The Duties and Responsibilities of Citizenship
          • Section 2 Westward Bound
          • Section 3 Unity and Sectionalism
      • Unit Five From Infancy to Infamy 1820-1860 >
        • Jacksonian America (Chapter Eleven)
        • Manifest Destiny (Chapter Twelve)
        • Two Sides of a Coin-North and South (Chapter Thirteen)
        • The Age of Reform (Chapter Fourteen)
      • Unit Six Civil War and Reconstruction 1846-1896 >
        • The Road of Turmoil (Chapter Fifteen)
        • The War Between The States (Chapter Sixteen)
        • Reconstruction-Carpetbaggers and Bluebellies (Chapter Seventeen)
    • Personal Finance 2014 >
      • Budget Spreadsheets
    • Seventh Grade Civics 2014-2015 >
      • Unit One Foundations of Citizenship [Chapters 1 & 2] >
        • Citizenship and Government in Democracy (Chapter One) >
          • Section One Government of the People, by the People, for the People
          • Section Two The Path to Citizenship
          • Section Three The Diversity of Americans
        • Roots of American Democracy (Chapter Two) >
          • Blog: Seventh Grade Chapter Two Section One
          • Section One English Heritage of Our Nation
          • Section Two The Birth of a Democratic Nation >
            • Blog: The Boston Tea Party
          • Chapter Two: The First & Second Continental Congresses and the Declaration of Independence >
            • Blog:Declaration of Independence
          • Declaration of Independence
          • Section Three The Nation's First Governments
          • The Declaration of Independence
      • Unit Two Blueprint for a New Nation [Chapters 3 & 4] >
        • Signing the Constitution
        • The Constitution (Chapter Three) >
          • Section One The Road to the Constitution
          • Section Two Creating and Ratifying the Constitution
          • The United States Constitution
          • Section Three The Structure of the Constitution
          • Section Four Principles Underlying the Constitution
        • The Bill of Rights (Chapter Four) >
          • Section One First Amendment Freedoms
          • Section Two Other Guarantees in the Bill of Rights
          • Section Three Extending the Bill of Rights
      • Unit Three Citizenship: Rights and Responsibilities [Chapters 5-8] (New: Ch. 5, 9, 10, 11 resp.) >
        • The Citizen and the Community (Chapter Five) >
          • Section One The Rights of Citizens
          • Section Two The Duties and Responsibilities of Citizenship
          • Section Three Volunteering in Your Community
        • Political Parties and Politics (Chapter Six) (New Ch. 9) >
          • Section One Development of American Politics
          • Section Two Organization of American Political Parties
          • Section Three Role of Political Parties Today
        • Voting and Elections (Chapter Seven) (New Ch 10) >
          • Section One Definition of a Voter
          • Section Two Election Campaigns
          • Section Three Elections and Funding the Campaign
        • Influencing Government Through Public Opinion and Interest Groups (Chapter Eight) (New Ch. 11) >
          • Section One Public Opinion
          • Section Two The Mass Media
          • Section Three Interest Groups
      • Unit Four The National Government (Chapters 9-12) (New Ch. 6-8) >
        • Congress (Chapter Nine) (New Ch. 6) >
          • Section One How Congress is Organized
          • Section Two The Powers of Congress
          • Section Three Representing the People
          • Section Four How a Bill Becomes a Law
        • The Presidency and the Executive Branch (Chapters Ten & Eleven) (New Ch. 7) >
          • Section One The President and Vice President
          • Section Two The President's Job
          • Section Three Making Foreign Policy
          • Section Four Presidential Advisers and Executive Agencies
        • The Judicial Branch (Chapter Twelve) (new Ch. 8) >
          • Section One The Federal Court System
          • Judicial Section Two
          • Section Two How Federal Courts are Organized
          • Section Three The United States Supreme Court
          • Section Four Deciding Cases at the Supreme Court
      • Unit Five Political Parties and Interest Groups (Chap 6-8) (New Ch. 9-11)
      • Unit Six State and Local Government (Chapters 13-15) (New Ch. 12-14) >
        • State Government (Chapter 13) (New Ch. 12) >
          • Section One the Federal System
          • Section Two The State Executive Branch
          • Section Three The State Legislative Brancy
          • Section Four The State Judicial Branch
        • Local Government (Chapter 14) (New Ch. 13) >
          • Section One County Government
          • Section Two Town, Township, & Village Governments
          • Section Three City Government
        • Community Issues (Chapter 15) (New Ch. 14) >
          • Section One How a Community Handles Issues
          • Section Two Education and Social Issues
          • Section Three Environmental Issues
      • Unit Seven The Individual, the Law, and the Internet >
        • Legal Rights and Responsibilities (Chapter 16) (New Ch. 15) >
          • Section One The Source of Our Laws
          • Section Two Legal Rights and Responsibilies
          • Section Three Types of Laws
        • Civil and Criminal Law (Chapter 17) (New Ch. 16) >
          • Section One Civil Cases
          • Section Two Criminal Cases
          • Section Three Court Proceedings in Criminal Cases
          • Section Four Young People and the Courts
        • Citizenship and the Internet (New Chapter 17) >
          • Section One Civic Participation
          • Section Two Challenges for Democracy
          • Section Three Regulating the Internet
      • Unit Eight The Economy and the Individual >
        • What is Economics? (New Chapter 18) >
          • Section One the Fundamental Economic Problem
          • Section Two Making Economic Decisions
          • Section Three Being an Economically Smart Citizen
        • The American Economy (New Chapter 19) >
          • Section One Economic Resources
          • Section Two Economic Activity and Productivity
          • Section Three Capitalism and Free Enterprise
          • Section Four The Economy and You
        • Supply and Demand (New Chapters 20 & 21) >
          • Section One What is Demand?
          • Section Two Factors Affecting Demand
          • Section Three What is Supply?
          • Section Four Factors Affecting Supply
          • Section Five Markets and Prices
        • Business and Labor (New Chapter 22) >
          • Section One Types of Businesses
          • Section Two Labor Unions
          • Section Three Businesses in Our Economy
      • Unit Nine The Free Enterprise System >
        • Government and the Economy (Chapter 19) (New Ch. 23) >
          • Section One The Role of Government
          • Section Two Measuring the Economy
          • Section Three Government, the Economy, and You
        • Money and Banking (New Chapter 24) >
          • Section One What is Money?
          • Section Two The Federal Reserve System
          • Section Three How Banks Operate
        • Government Finances (New Chapter 25) >
          • Section One The Federal Government
          • Section Two State and Local Governments
          • Section Three Managing the Economy
      • Unit Ten The United States and the World >
        • Comparing Economic Systems (New Chapter 26) >
          • Section One International Trade and Its Benefits
          • Section Two Economic Systems
          • Section Three Economies in Transition
        • Comparing Systems of Government (New Chapter 27) >
          • Section One Types of Governments
          • Section Two A Profile of Great Britain
          • Section Three A Profile of China
        • An Interdependent World (New Chapter 28) >
          • Section One Global Developments
          • Section Two The United Nations
          • Section Three Democracy and Human Rights
  • Sully's Social Studies Sources and Resources
  • Personal Finance 2014
  • Budget Spreadsheets
  • Political Parties and Politics (Chapter Six) (New Ch. 9)
  • Section One Development of American Politics
  • Section Two Organization of American Political Parties
  • Section Three Role of Political Parties Today
  • European Exploration (Chapter Two)
  • The Declaration of Independence
  • Declaration of Independence
  • Trump

Chapter Twelve Section One
The Federal System

The Constitution and Federalism
One of the big issues as our nation was developing was the deliberate lack of unity among the states.  We we basically thirteen individual nations fending for ourselves.  The individual states didn't really care about their neighbors or what happened to them.  The main focus was for the individual state.  Each created it's own individual constitution, set up its own government, and made its own laws.  People were more intent to say "I'm a Virginian, or I'm a New Yorker" instead of "I'm an American."  During the Revolutionary War, the first national government was established under the Articles of Confederation.  The Articles were definitely better than no plan at all, but they had a good deal of problems. It was a weak and ineffective government and would be replaced in less than ten years.  What replaced the Articles of Confederation would be our United States Constitution, under which the states agreed to give up some of their independence.

Perhaps the most important decision made by the Framers of the Constitution was the creation of a federal system of government.  A federal system, or federalism, consists of a central government and lower levels of government (the states in our situation) sharing certain aspects of power. It is not an equal sharing situation, however.  If a state law conflicts with a national law the national law stands in higher authority and supremacy and must be followed.

Federalism is a middle position between having an all-powerful central government and a system in which the states have all the power.  The writers of the Constitution hoped to establish some limits on national power and still not make the states so strong, a condition experienced through the Articles of Confederation.  In this predicament, the central government stands ineffective.

The Constitution protects states in several ways.  No state can be divided or merged with another without the consent of the state's government. States have the right to maintain a militia, or a military force called the National Guard, under the control of the state's governor.  The governor may call on this militia in local emergencies.  Governor Jay Nixon has called out the National Guard to help deal with civil unrest in Ferguson, and also to help fight flooding.  In a national emergency, the president may federalize the National Guard, putting it under control of the U.S. armed forces.  This happened with the war in Iraq.
Each state is largely free to govern itself the way it sees fit.  The Constitution does not list the powers of state governments as it does for the national government.  It does specify what the state governments may NOT do.  Article I of the Constitution forbids states to make treaties with foreign countries or declare war, keep an army in peacetime, issue their own money, or impose taxes on imports from other countries or states. In addition, several constitutional amendments prevent state governments from taking away civil liberties and rights granted by the federal government. The most important of these is the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees all Americans "equal protection of the laws."
​Reserved Powers
The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution gives the states additional authority. It establishes that state governments may exercise all powers not given to the federal government or denied to the states. These powers are called reserved powers because they are reserved to the states. Some of these powers are to make marriage and divorce laws, regulate education, and hold elections.
Each state is responsible for the public health, safety, and welfare of its citizens. State governments often use their reserved powers to meet this responsibility.  They set up law enforcement operations, such as city police and county sheriffs department. They build roads and bridges and maintain them.  They regulate business and trade within the boundaries of the state.  They set educational requirements and provide money to run the schools. They organize local governments for counties, cities, and towns. Our own state government may affect many of our daily activities.
​Federal Supremacy
The Constitution grants some ​concurrent powers, those shared by state governments and the federal government. They both have the ability to impose taxes and borrow money. If conflicts do arise between the states and the federal government over certain kinds of powers, the Supreme Court decides the case. Article VI of the Constitution declares that the laws that Congress makes shall be the "supreme law of the land." This clause is called the supremacy clause.
​

In the landmark case of McCulloch v. Maryland of 1819, the Supreme Court held that Maryland could not tax a branch of the Bank of the United States in Baltimore. This ruling was interpreted to mean that if a state's powers conflict with the powers of the federal government, federal powers take precedence.
States' Rights v. Nationalists
Throughout our history, we have argued over how federalism should operate. One view, which was held by most of the states, argues that because the states created the national government, all of the national government's powers should be limited. Those who favor this view, the ​States' Rights view, believe that state governments are closer to the people and better reflect the people's wishes than the national government can.  On the other hand, Americans who support the nationalist position argue that the people, not the states, created the national government and the states. Therefore, the powers granted to the national government should be extended to carry out what ever happens to be the people's will. Supporters of this nationalist position argue that the "necessary and proper" clause of the Constitution means that Congress has the right to adopt any means it needs to carry out its delegated powers. Supporters of the nationalist position look to the national government to take the lead in solving major social economic problems facing the nation.
The balance of powers between the national and state governments has shifted back and forth throughout the history of our nation. The national government's ability to wage war, regulate commerce, and levy taxes has increased the national government's authority. However, some believe that state and local governments will always be very important since Americans identify more closely with their local communities and look to these communities to understand their needs.
Governmental Cooperation
We have seen the state and federal governments cooperate together since the 1930s. They work together to fund and administer a wide variety of programs. These include highways, education, and welfare. Usually we see the federal government providing grants-in-aid, or awards of money, to the states to help them pay for some of their programs. States must contribute some of their own money toward these programs and obey the rules set by Congress in order to receive the grants. For example, the federal government contributes 90 percent of the money to build interstate highways but states must comply with a list of regulations, such as the width of driving lanes and the quality of building materials.

The federal government gives some grants-in-aid directly to cities and counties. Other grants will "pass through" state governments to cities. Like the federal government, states award grants to cities and counties, with conditions attached.

The Constitution also helps ensure that states cooperate with each other. Article IV of the Constitution encourages interstate cooperation by requiring states to give "full faith and credit" to the public laws and court decisions of other states. This means, for example, that if people get married in one state, the rest of the states must accept that the individuals are indeed married.
Article IV of the U.S. Constitution also requires every state to have a "republican form of government." The federal government will defend these state governments if they are threatened. The federal government will protect each state against invasion and domestic violence. When a state or local police force cannot control violent incidents within a state, the governor may call for the assistance of federal troops. This was the case in 1967 when President Lyndon Johnson sent troops to Detroit to help control racial unrest and rioting when Michigan's governor declared that the Detroit police and the Michigan National Guard could not stop the widespread violence.
In return, states provide certain services to the federal government. An example of how states conduct elections for federal offices would show how the president and vice president are elected. This is considered part of the reserved powers of the states. States also play a key role in the process of amending the Constitution. No amendment can be added to the Constitution unless three-fourths of the states approve it.
State Constitutions
State constitutions differ from state to state because every states has its own ideas about what makes a good government. All state constitutions, though, share certain characteristics.

Every state constitution provides for separation of powers among three branches of government
, legislative, executive, and judicial. The state constitutions outline the organization of each branch, the powers and terms of various offices, and the method of election for state officials. States have also included their own bills of rights in their constitutions, which include all or most of the protections of the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution. Often, they also include rights not provided in the national Constitution, such as workers' right to join unions and protections for the physically challenged.
State constitutions also establish different types of local governments, including counties, townships, municipalities, special districts, parishes, and boroughs. State constitutions usually define the powers and duties as well as the organization of these forms of local government.
State constitutions regulate the ways state and local governments can raise and spend money. In many states the state constitution limits the taxing power of local governments.

Finally, state constitutions establish independent state agencies, boards, and commissions, such as public utility commissions and state boards of education.

Just as the U.S. Constitution is the highest law of the land, a state's constitution is the highest law in that state. State constitutions cannot include provisions that clash with the U.S. Constitution.


The amendment process is an important part of every state constitution. While the procedure for changing the constitution varies from state to state, it is usually a two-step process similar to amending the U.S. Constitution. An amendment must first be proposed, generally by the legislature, then it must be ratified by the voters.  As states' powers have grown and changed, state constitutions have been amended hundreds of times.
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