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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   Noah reads the word federalism. What does it mean?

   • Power shared by nation and states
   • Power split among branches
   • Power held by a king
   • Power held by the nation alone
8. 7.

   Pia reads the word concurrent. What are concurrent powers?

   • Powers both levels hold
   • Powers the nation alone holds
   • Powers no one holds
   • Powers the states alone hold
9. 8.

   Making treaties belongs where in the diagram, Tala asks?

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

    Running schools belongs where in the diagram, Zee asks?

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

    Collecting taxes belongs where in the diagram, Ari asks?

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