The US Constitution and Federalism | Edexcel A-Level Politics (9PL0)
The US Constitution and Federalism
- 61 questions
- 4 subtopics
- Component 3 Route B: the USA, one route of two
- Component 3
Covers the document that frames American government: its democratic features and its undemocratic ones, the strengths and weaknesses of a text written in the eighteenth century, and the long argument over whether the United States remains genuinely federal..
It covers democratic features of the US Constitution, constitutional strengths, weaknesses and modern debates, federalism, state powers and the laboratories of democracy and the Supreme Court, fiscal federalism and the centralisation debate.
Sample questions from The US Constitution and Federalism
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Democratic features of the US Constitution
What democratic purpose does the Bill of Rights serve within the Constitution?
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The Bill of Rights protects individual liberties from government infringement, ensuring citizens retain fundamental freedoms essential to democratic participation. -
Democratic features of the US Constitution
When was the direct election of Senators introduced, and through what mechanism?
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The 17th Amendment in 1913 changed the selection of Senators from state legislatures to direct popular election. -
Constitutional strengths, weaknesses and modern debates
What problems arise from vague constitutional language?
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It leads to ongoing disputes over interpretation and grants significant power to unelected judges who must determine the meaning of ambiguous provisions. -
Constitutional strengths, weaknesses and modern debates
What does low voter turnout in US elections suggest about American democracy?
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It raises questions about the health of American democratic participation, as turnout is lower compared to other democracies. -
Federalism, state powers and the laboratories of democracy
Give an example of how state variation in death penalty laws supports the argument that federalism persists.
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Some states have abolished the death penalty while others retain it, demonstrating policy diversity and state autonomy on criminal justice. -
Federalism, state powers and the laboratories of democracy
How has the Commerce Clause been used to expand federal power?
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It has allowed Congress to regulate a wide range of economic and social activities, extending federal authority beyond its original scope. -
The Supreme Court, fiscal federalism and the centralisation debate
Why do categorical grants indicate centralisation rather than federalism?
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The strict conditions attached reduce state discretion over how funds are spent, giving the federal government greater control over state policy. -
The Supreme Court, fiscal federalism and the centralisation debate
What does the case Texas v United States demonstrate about federalism?
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It demonstrates ongoing contestation over the federal-state balance, as Texas challenged Obama's immigration orders through the courts.
The 4 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic features of the US Constitution | Recall questions on popular sovereignty, regular elections, separation of powers and the Bill of Rights, and on the Electoral College and equal Senate representation. | 12 |
| Constitutional strengths, weaknesses and modern debates | Recall questions on the strengths and weaknesses of the Constitution, minority rule, gerrymandering, voting access and turnout today, the tension between majoritarianism and constitutionalism, and limited government from McCulloch v Maryland to the cases that still enforce it. | 19 |
| Federalism, state powers and the laboratories of democracy | Recall questions on the federalism debate, reserved powers under the Tenth Amendment, state variation in law, states as laboratories of democracy, and how the commerce clause, conditional grants-in-aid and federal mandates extend federal power. | 11 |
| The Supreme Court, fiscal federalism and the centralisation debate | Recall questions on the Supreme Court’s role in Lopez and NFIB v Sebelius, executive power, fiscal federalism and categorical against block grants, new federalism, polarisation, sanctuary cities and Texas v United States, the Supremacy Clause, and whether the USA is still federal. | 19 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
Edexcel A-Level Politics Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,101 questions with their answers.