Kirsten Harczynski
111-2: WHAT DOES THE CONSTITUTION SAY
ABOUT FEDERALISM?
Read each of the following statements. Decide
whether or not each statement describes a
situation in which the officials or institutions
involved comply with the U.S. Constitution.
If so, answer yes. If not, answer no. Circle
the correct answer under each statement.
Identify the number of the Article and Section
or the Amendment of the constitution that
supports your answer. Write this information on
the line below each item.
Below that line,
paraphrase the selection to tell what the
Constitution says about that statement,in your own
words.
Clue: Answers to these items can be found in
Articles I, IV, and VI or in Amendment X.
1. Michigan, hard hit by a recession, has decided
to issue coins made from old cars in order to
stimulate the economy.
YES
Article 1 sec. 10
NO
No state can coin money
2.
Mary, upset with the custody ruling of New
York which gave her husband custody of the
children , takes them and runs to California.
She asks a Califor-nia court for custody. Will
they agree?
YES
NO
Article 4 sec. 2 Any criminal that flees to another
state is to be returned to the original state
3. Displeased with the U.S. Postal Service, the
state legislature of Nevada has passed a law
creating the Nevada Postal Service.
4.
Arizona, unable to meet it's rising health care
costs, decides to tax tourists more for their
goods than it does Arizona citizens.
YES
Article 4 section 1
5.
Privileges and immunities among states
Congress passes a law imposing new
regulations upon airlines engaged in interstate
commerce (doing business in several states and
across state lines.)
YES
NO
Cong. Regulates trade between the states
Art. 1, Sec. 8:
6. Colorado's Scenic Drive Highway has become
overcrowded. The state legislature passes a
law forbidding out-of-state drivers from using the
highway.
YES
NO
Article 1 sec. 8
Congress can astablish a postal service
NO
Article 4 section 1
Privileges and immunities among states
7. The U.S. Supreme Court's upholding of
Congress'power to regulate strip mining of coal
upset the governor of North Dakota very much.
The governor has announced that he will not
allow the enforcement of the law in his state.
YES
Article 4 section 1
NO
ANY LAW MADE BY CONGRESS IA THE LAW
OF THE LAND
8. The Governor of Montana requests that
Kentucky return John Doe, a fugitive, to
Montana. Doe, convicted of murder in
Montana, had fled to Kentucky, where local
authorities captured him. Must they?
YES
YES
NO
NO
Kirsten Harczynski
9. Arizona voters pass a law legalizing the sale and
distribution of marijuana which Federal law prohibits.
yes
Article 6
no
15. Congress partitions california into three states,
combining each section with a neighboring state.
yes
no
Article 4 Section
Can not change state boarders w/out Congress and
state approval
Any law that Congress makes is the law of the land
10. The State of Washington has placed a tax on goods
imported and exported through it's seaports.
yes
no
Article 1 Section 10
Can not lay duties on exports w/ out consent of
Congress
11.
Arizona, wishing to improve it's trade with Mexico,
negotiates a treaty giving special tax status to Mexican
goods, if they do the same for Arizona goods entering
Mexico.
yes
no
Article 1 Section 10
16. John Jones has been legally adopted in the state of
Arkansas. After the Jones family moves to Georgia,the
Georgia State Welfare Agency takes John from his
adoptive parents. The Agency claims
that his adoption is not recognized by
Arkansas law.
yes
Article 4 Section 1
no
Full faith and credit
17. The state of New Jersey refuses to issue a business
licenses to anyone who does not pay property taxes in
the state.
no
Priv. & Imm
No state can enter into a treaty
12. The federal government passes a law to establish a single
18. Minorities in LA are so infuriated by the verdict in a
national system of public high schools.
murder trial that they begin to riot. California asks for
yes
no
federal troops, but the President says the money is not
10th Amendment: Reserved Powers of the States
there to pay them, so he refuses.
13. New Mexico's governor is so popular, that the legislature
has declared him Governor for life and cancelled all elections
until his death.
yes
Article 4 Section 4
no
Republican form of Government
14. Arizona, Wishing to keep its lottery money in Arizona
refuses to pay out on any winning tickets not owned by
Arizona citizens possessing a valid Arizona drivers
license. No
Priv & immunities Art. 4
yes
no
Article 4 Section 2
Privileges and immunities
yes
no
Article 1 Section 10
Must provide protection from domestic violence
19. The Texas National Guard gets into a border dispute
with Mexico. The President's says that the Texans
started it, and refuses to send U.S. troops to help when
Mexican troops enter Texas.
yes
Article 4 Section 4
no
Protection against invasion
20. The state of Arizona insists that attorney's from
California must pass the Arizona Bar exam to practice here.
yes
Article 4 Section 1
no
Full faith and credit
Kirsten Harczynski
I. WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED ALL OF THE QUESTIONS COMPLETE THE CHART BELOW USING INFORMATION
FROM THE ANSWERS TO THE PREVIOUS QUESTIONS.
A. List the obligations that the states have to each other.
1. Extradition
2. Full faith and credit
3. Privileges and immunities
B. List the obligations that the National government has to the states.
1. Protect states from invasion
2. Republican form of Government
3. Protection against domestic violence
C. List things that states may not do.
1. Pass a Bill of Attainder
2. Pass an Expo-Facto law
Where would you look for things the states may not do?
1. Article 1 Section 10
2. Article 4 Section 3
3. Amendment 10
D. If you wanted to find a list of things that the National Government could not do, where
would you look?
1. Article 1 Section 9
2. Amendment 10