Federalism MCQs [USA – America] January 8, 2026August 21, 2024 by u930973931_answers 40 min Score: 0 Attempted: 0/40 Subscribe 1. Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution is most closely associated with federalism? (A) 1st Amendment (B) 19th Amendment (C) 14th Amendment (D) 10th Amendment 2. The principle of federalism refers to the division of power between: (A) The executive and legislative branches (B) The president and Congress (C) The state and federal governments (D) The military and civilian leaders 3. The Supremacy Clause is found in which article of the U.S. Constitution? (A) Article I (B) Article II (C) Article III (D) Article VI 4. Which court case established the principle of judicial review, influencing federalism? (A) Gibbons v. Ogden (B) McCulloch v. Maryland (C) Marbury v. Madison (D) Plessy v. Ferguson 5. Which court case upheld the federal government’s implied powers under the Necessary and Proper Clause? (A) McCulloch v. Maryland (B) Marbury v. Madison (C) Dred Scott v. Sandford (D) Roe v. Wade 6. The Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution is primarily concerned with: (A) Federal tax collection (B) The Bill of Rights (C) The president's power (D) Interstate relations 7. Which of the following is a concurrent power shared by both the federal and state governments? (A) Declaring war (B) Taxation (C) Coining money (D) Regulating interstate commerce 8. The “necessary and proper” clause is also known as the: (A) Supremacy Clause (B) Elastic Clause (C) Commerce Clause (D) Due Process Clause 9. Which type of federalism involves a clear distinction between the powers of the federal and state governments? (A) Cooperative Federalism (B) Marble Cake Federalism (C) Dual Federalism (D) Creative Federalism 10. Which of the following is an example of cooperative federalism? (A) State governments creating their own laws independent of federal influence (B) States having exclusive control over education (C) Federal government issuing national licenses (D) Federal grants-in-aid programs 11. The “New Federalism” movement is most associated with which U.S. president? (A) Ronald Reagan (B) Lyndon B. Johnson (C) Richard Nixon (D) Franklin D. Roosevelt 12. Which of the following cases strengthened federal power over the states through the Commerce Clause? (A) Gibbons v. Ogden (B) McCulloch v. Maryland (C) Dred Scott v. Sandford (D) Brown v. Board of Education 13. Which principle is established by the 10th Amendment? (A) The right to bear arms (B) Federal supremacy (C) Individual liberties (D) States' rights 14. The concept of “devolution” in federalism refers to: (A) Strengthening the central government (B) Transferring power from the federal government to the states (C) Increasing the federal budget (D) Enhancing the role of the judiciary 15. Which part of the Constitution is often cited in cases dealing with the expansion of federal power? (A) Commerce Clause (B) 2nd Amendment (C) 1st Amendment (D) Equal Protection Clause 16. Which landmark case confirmed the federal government’s power to regulate interstate commerce? (A) Marbury v. Madison (B) Miranda v. Arizona (C) Plessy v. Ferguson (D) Gibbons v. Ogden 17. The federal system allows for a diversity of policies because: (A) All states must follow federal law strictly (B) Local governments have no power (C) The federal government controls all aspects of policy (D) States have the autonomy to enact their own laws in certain areas 18. Which term refers to powers that are explicitly granted to the federal government by the Constitution? (A) Implied powers (B) Enumerated powers (C) Reserved powers (D) Concurrent powers 19. “Cooperative federalism” emerged primarily during the presidency of: (A) George Washington (B) Abraham Lincoln (C) John F. Kennedy (D) Franklin D. Roosevelt 20. Which event marked the beginning of dual federalism in the United States? (A) The New Deal (B) The Civil War (C) The ratification of the Constitution (D) The Civil Rights Movement 21. Which amendment abolished slavery and significantly altered the federal-state relationship? (A) 15th Amendment (B) 14th Amendment (C) 13th Amendment (D) 19th Amendment 22. Under the Articles of Confederation, the federal government was: (A) Stronger than the state governments (B) Unrelated to the state governments (C) Equal in power to the state governments (D) Weaker than the state governments 23. Which of the following is a power reserved to the states? (A) Declaring war (B) Regulating interstate commerce (C) Conducting elections (D) Coining money 24. The “Elastic Clause” allows Congress to: (A) Declare war (B) Make laws necessary and proper to carry out its powers (C) Coin money (D) Overturn Supreme Court decisions 25. What is the main purpose of the 10th Amendment? (A) To grant additional powers to the federal government (B) To grant civil rights to citizens (C) To limit the powers of the federal government (D) To establish the executive branch 26. Which of the following is NOT a form of federalism practiced in the United States? (A) Dual Federalism (B) Confederalism (C) Cooperative Federalism (D) Creative Federalism 27. The doctrine of “preemption” refers to: (A) State laws taking precedence over federal laws (B) Local governments overriding state decisions (C) States having the final say in legal matters (D) Federal laws taking precedence over state laws 28. Which case reaffirmed the supremacy of the federal government over the states? (A) Brown v. Board of Education (B) Gibbons v. Ogden (C) Marbury v. Madison (D) McCulloch v. Maryland 29. Which of the following best describes “fiscal federalism”? (A) The division of budgetary responsibilities between state and federal governments (B) The practice of state governments controlling all financial decisions (C) The ability of states to refuse federal funding (D) The process of federal governments giving money to states with specific conditions 30. Which amendment extended citizenship rights and equal protection to all persons born or naturalized in the United States? (A) 13th Amendment (B) 19th Amendment (C) 15th Amendment (D) 14th Amendment 31. What is “block grant”? (A) A federal grant for specific, narrowly defined purposes (B) A type of federal financial assistance given for broad purposes (C) A grant that states are required to repay (D) A grant that supports military spending 32. What is “categorical grant”? (A) Federal aid with strict regulations on how it must be spent (B) State funding with no strings attached (C) Private funding for federal projects (D) Financial assistance for education only 33. Which event led to a significant increase in the power of the federal government? (A) The Vietnam War (B) The War of 1812 (C) The Civil Rights Movement (D) The Great Depression 34. Which case dealt with the issue of federalism and the Affordable Care Act? (A) Marbury v. Madison (B) McCulloch v. Maryland (C) National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (D) Gibbons v. Ogden 35. Which of the following is a concurrent power? (A) Establishing foreign relations (B) Regulating interstate commerce (C) Issuing currency (D) Collecting taxes 36. The principle of “sovereign immunity” means that: (A) States cannot be sued in federal court without their consent (B) The federal government cannot be sued by the states (C) The judiciary has no power over the states (D) Local governments have complete control over their laws 37. Which of the following best describes “judicial activism”? (A) Courts taking an active role in shaping policy (B) Courts strictly adhering to the Constitution (C) Courts avoiding controversial cases (D) Courts only enforcing federal laws 38. The term “interstate commerce” refers to: (A) Trade that occurs within a single state (B) The federal government’s control over local businesses (C) Trade that crosses state lines (D) The establishment of international trade agreements 39. Which of the following is a power that is denied to the states? (A) Establishing local governments (B) Regulating trade within a state (C) Conducting elections (D) Coining money 40. The relationship between the federal government and the states is best described as: (A) Cooperative (B) Competitive (C) Isolated (D) Adversarial