CHAPTER THREE LESSONS ONLINE
AP U.S. Government and Politics: Chapter 3: Federalism
Required Reading: Edwards, et al, Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy, 11th
Edition (PearsonLongman publishers), Chapter 3, pages 64-92.
Supplemental Readings:
 Short Summary of The Federalist Papers
 About The Federalist Papers
 Federalist No. 16 - Text - Summary and Analysis
 Federalist No. 17 - Text - Wikipedia Summary
 Federalist No. 39 - Text - Summary and Analysis
Learning Activities
1. Lesson: Layer Cake Federalism
a. Open up this URL in your Web browser:
http://uccpbank.k12hsn.org/courses/APGovernmentPolitics/course%20files/multimed
ia/lesson07/lessonp.html . Read over the topics covered in this lesson, then click on
the Start Lesson button at the bottom of the page.
b. Listen to and view the presentation on Defining Federalism (see the navigation bar
at the top of the page), then read over the text that has been prepared for you.
i. Click on the hyperlink to the “To Ratify or Not to Ratify” short presentation in
the Explore section at the right, read the introductory paragraph, click on the
link to “View Map” and explore this interactive geographic explanation of
which parts of the country voted for and against ratification of the newlywritten U.S. Constitution.
ii. Click on the hyperlink to the “Layer Cake Federalism” short presentation in
the “Explore” section at the right, read the introductory paragraph, click on
“View Diagram” and explore this explanation of Layer Cake Federalism.
Answer the multiple choice question on this page.
iii. Click on the hyperlink to the “Comparing Governments” short presentation in
the “Explore” section at the right, read the introductory paragraph, click on
“View Chart” and explore this explanation of Unitary Government, Federal
Government, and Confederal Government. Answer the multiple choice
question on this page.
c. Listen to and view the presentation on Separation of National and State
Governments (see the navigation bar at the top of the page), then read over the text
that has been prepared for you.
i. Click on the hyperlink to the “Examining Separation of Powers” short
presentation in the Explore section at the right, read the introductory
paragraph, click on the link to “View Diagram” and use the “roll-over”
mouse function to learn more about Federal Powers, Concurrent Powers, and
State Powers). Answer the multiple choice question regarding why the
Framers of the Constitution created a federal system of government.
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ii. Click on the hyperlink to the “Nation v. States – The Question of Supremacy”
short presentation in the Explore section at the right, read the introductory
paragraph, click on the link to “View the Tenth Amendment,” read the
amendment and the blue-text explanation. Click on the link to “View Article
VI,” read this short section of the Constitution and the blue-text explanation.
iii. Click on the hyperlink to the “McCulloch v. Maryland” short presentation,
read the introductory paragraph, click on the link to “View Case,” and read
this short explanation of this very important Supreme Court case, the main
characters, the Court’s ruling, and the important precedent the Court set,
regarding implied powers and national supremacy. Please consider for
yourself the question posed in purple text: How would our nation be different
today if the Court had not ruled in favor of expanding the power of
government through the use of implied powers? What powers would the U.S.
government NOT have, today, that it routinely uses every day?
d. Finally, use the “roll-over” mouse function in the Glossary section to check your
understanding of the terms used in this lesson.
2. Lesson: Evolution of Federalism
a. Open up this URL in your Web browser:
http://uccpbank.k12hsn.org/courses/APGovernmentPolitics/course%20files/multimed
ia/lesson08/lessonp.html . Read over the topics covered in this lesson, then click on
the Start Lesson button at the bottom of the page.
b. Listen to and view the presentation Cooperative Federalism, then read over the text
that has been prepared for you.
i. Click on the hyperlink to the “Marble Cake Federalism” short presentation in
the Explore section at the right, read the introductory paragraph, click on
“View Diagram” and look over this explanation of Marble Cake Federalism.
Answer the multiple choice question on this page.
c. Listen to and view the presentation Fiscal Federalism, then read over the text that
has been prepared for you.
i. Click on the hyperlink to the “Fiscal Federalism” short presentation in the
Explore section at the right, read the introductory paragraph, click on “View
Diagram,” and look over this explanation of spending by local, state, national,
and all governments in the U.S., combined. Click on the hyperlink to “View
Timeline,” and use the roll-over mouse function to move the timeline of
historical events from the Great Depression era to the terrorist attacks of
September 11, 2001. Finally, answer the multiple choice question regarding
historical events that spur increased government spending.
ii. Click on the hyperlink to the “Intergovernmental Lobbying” short
presentation in the Explore section at the right, read the introductory
paragraph, click on “View Image,” and look over this 1936 photo of the
annual meeting of the National Conference of Mayors using the roll-over
mouse function to read explanations about the importance of
intergovernmental relationships in our federal system.
iii. Click on the hyperlink to the “Major Mandate Enactments” short presentation
in the Explore section at the right, read the introductory paragraph, click on
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“View Timeline,” and use the roll-over mouse function to look over the
timeline of major federal mandates from 1982 through the No Child Left
Behind legislation passed during the presidency of George W. Bush.
d. Finally, use the “roll-over” mouse function in the Glossary section to check your
understanding of the terms used in this lesson.
3. Carefully look over the graphic on the last page of this assignment. This is a good
explanation of the various responsibilities and divisions of power in a federal system of
government.
4. Test your knowledge
a. Open up this URL in your Web browser:
http://wps.ablongman.com/long_edwards_government_11/10/2806/718503.cw/index.
html .
b. Test your knowledge of the content in this chapter of the text by taking the MultipleChoice Quiz (click the hyperlink on the navigation bar at the left). When you
complete the quiz, click on Submit Answers for Grading, complete the Email Your
Results box at the bottom of the page and include your instructor’s address –
cwhitney@nkcsd.k12.mo.us – and click on E-Mail Results. Each correct answer is
worth one point towards your semester grade.
c. Review the vocabulary terms online by clicking on the Flashcards link on the
navigation bar on the left at the Web page, above. Click on the link called Click here
to view the Flash Cards. Choose the box in Step One for this chapter in the
Government in America textbook. For Step Two, click on the radio button to view
the cards by definition. Click on Go at Step Three, and build your deck of flash
cards. Use these electronic flash cards to review the terms and their definitions for
the Vocabulary Test in class.
5. Take the practice tests
a. Open up this URL in your Web browser: http://www.twymanwhitney.com/apgovpol/practicetests.htm .
b. Test your knowledge of the vocabulary terms and content in this chapter of the text
by taking the practice tests online; taking them repeatedly until you achieve a perfect
score will serve you well, later, on the real tests in class. Choose this chapter of the
text for both of these practice tests online. Ask your instructor for the username and
password if you have forgotten them.
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