Checks and balances, and powers shared between the nation and the states

Grade 8 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Who holds which powers (a Venn diagram)

   Box National government only (delegated powers): coin money; regulate trade with other nations, among the states and with the Indian tribes; make treaties. Box Both (concurrent powers): collect taxes; make and enforce laws; run courts. Box States only (reserved powers): run schools; issue driver's licenses; oversee police and libraries, with local governments. Line 1 (Constitution (1787), Article I, Section 8, clause 5; as printed in 1840, p. 8): "To coin money, regulate the value thereof…" Line 2 (Constitution (1787), Article I, Section 8, clause 3; as printed in 1840, p. 8): "To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes…" Line 3 (Constitution, Tenth Amendment (1791); as printed in 1820, p. 33): "The powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people."

2. 1.

   Which government alone can coin money, Bo asks?

   • The fifty states
   • Local towns and cities
   • Both levels of government
   • The national government
3. 2.

   Which powers are in the overlap of the Venn diagram, Esme asks?

   • Declare a new king
   • Taxes, laws and courts
   • Coin money and make treaties
   • Run schools and issue licenses
4. 3.

   Who issues driver's licenses, by the diagram, Jun asks?

   • Congress
   • The states
   • The national government
   • The Supreme Court
5. 4.

   By line 2, trade with whom may Congress regulate, Luz asks?

   • Trade inside a single town
   • Nations, states and Indian tribes
   • No trade of any kind
   • Trade with Britain alone
6. 5.

   By line 3, where do powers not delegated to the nation go, Milo asks?

   • To the states, or the people
   • To the president and the cabinet
   • To Congress
   • To the courts
7. 6.

   Pia reads the word concurrent. What are concurrent powers?

   • Powers the states alone hold
   • Powers both levels hold
   • Powers no one holds
   • Powers the nation alone holds
8. 7.

   Ren reads the word reserved. What are reserved powers?

   • Powers both share
   • Powers the courts keep
   • Powers the nation keeps
   • Powers the states keep
9. 8.

   Making treaties belongs where in the diagram, Tala asks?

   • Both levels of government
   • National government only
   • States only, as a reserved power
   • Local towns and cities
10. 9.

    Running schools belongs where in the diagram, Zee asks?

    • States, with local governments
    • The Supreme Court
    • Neither level
    • The national government alone, in Washington
11. 10.

    Collecting taxes belongs where in the diagram, Ari asks?

    • Neither level
    • The states alone
    • Both levels
    • The national government alone