In a federal system, who has authority?

In a federal system, who has authority?

• A. Both state and national governments share authority
• B. Only the national government
• C. Only the state governments
• D. Local governments only

Answer: (A)

In a federal system, authority is shared between the national government and the state governments. The Constitution assigns certain powers to the national government—like defending the country and regulating matters that cross state lines—while reserving other powers to the states, such as running schools and managing elections. Some powers can be exercised by both levels, like levying taxes or passing laws that affect people within a state or across states. Local governments exist, but they derive power from the states and do not have independent sovereignty. So, the best description is that both the national and state governments share authority.

In a federal system, authority is shared between the national government and the state governments. The Constitution assigns certain powers to the national government—like defending the country and regulating matters that cross state lines—while reserving other powers to the states, such as running schools and managing elections. Some powers can be exercised by both levels, like levying taxes or passing laws that affect people within a state or across states. Local governments exist, but they derive power from the states and do not have independent sovereignty. So, the best description is that both the national and state governments share authority.