Explain the difference between a confederation and a federation, and which one the U.S. adopted after the Articles of Confederation.

A confederation has a weak central government with most power residing in the states, while a federation involves a trade-off between national and state governments. The U.S. adopted a federation after the failure of the Articles of Confederation.

Give an example of an issue where state government policies differ significantly, and explain how this illustrates the challenges of federalism.

Abortion laws vary significantly between states, ranging from total bans to unrestricted access. This illustrates how federalism can create very different realities for people living in different states and highlights the ongoing debate about the balance of power between the federal government and the states.

What is 'devolution' in the context of federalism, and how does the issue of abortion demonstrate this concept?

Devolution is when power shifts from the central government to state or local governments. The Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade, is an example of devolution because it gave states the authority to regulate abortion.

Exploring Federalism Lesson Plan for 9th Grade

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Objective

I can define federalism and explain how power is divided between national and state governments.

Part 1 of 4

Warm-up video

Study Hall · 11:25

We don't generate video — this one is by Study Hall on YouTube. The practice questions and exit ticket below were drafted by AI for this objective, and every question is editable in the teacher guide.

Part 2 of 4

Key concepts

3 concepts

1
In a federalist system, power is divided between the national government and the states.
2
The U.S. shifted from a unitary system to a confederation under the Articles of Confederation, and finally to a federation with the Constitution.
3
Policy diffusion occurs when states copy policies that have been successful in other states.

Part 3 of 4

Practice

12 questions

Define federalism in your own words.

What is a unitary system of government, and why did the founders of the U.S. want to avoid it?

Part 4 of 4

Exit ticket

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“Define federalism in your own words. Give one example from the video of how power is divided between the national government and state governments.”

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Exploring Federalism

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