1. State and Local Government State Government ~~~~~ The States
Chapter Eight
State and Local Government
State Government
~~~~~
The States

3. State Governments have been established to serve the people
decide how many days you must attend school each year
pass laws that affect the people living in your state
help pay for public education
help pay for state parks
provide hospitals
build and maintain state roadways

4. A New Government after independence Constitution
original 13 states acted like small, separate nations
each state regulated trade crossing its borders
often treated neighboring states as if they were foreign countries
the first few years of the republic
seemed like the U.S. would break up into
13 small, weak countries
Constitution
established the rules of the new country
states gave up some powers to the new national government
states kept other powers for themselves
created a federal system with a strong national government
powers are divided between the 50 states and the federal government
gave the federal government powers that affected all U.S. citizens
states have power to govern the people who live within their borders
are closer to the people and can better provide them with many needed services

5. Delegated Federal Powers
federal government has powers that affect all U.S. citizens
conducting foreign policy
printing money
maintaining a post office
defending the country
maintain an army and a navy
regulate trade between the states 5

6. Reserved State Powers tenth amendment states are responsible for
reserves certain powers to state governments
those not granted to the federal government or prohibited to the states
states are responsible for
conducting local, state, and national elections
the federal system depends on the states to ensure that Americans are given the opportunity to elect their representatives
deciding most of the qualifications for voting
those not otherwise specified in the U.S. Constitution
establishing and maintaining schools
state school regulations cannot conflict with the U.S. Constitution or with Supreme Court rulings
controlling all local governments within their boundaries
districts, cities, towns, townships, and counties
local governments receive their powers from the states
state laws
deal with health, safety, welfare
marriage and divorce, traffic regulations
regulate business within state borders

7. Concurrent Shared Powers
states share many powers with the federal government
even if certain powers are granted to the federal government in the Constitution, state governments may also have these powers
unless a power is forbidden to the states by the U.S. Constitution, state governments may exercise that power
shared powers
taxation
federal, state, and local governments have the power to tax their citizens
must collect various kinds of taxes to carry on their activities
state governments may raise money by taxing items such as gasoline, liquor, and cigarettes, or through income and property taxes
money from state taxes pays for education, highways, health and safety programs, and other state services
establishing court systems
borrowing and spending money
making and enforcing laws

8. State Constitutions each of the 50 states has its own constitution
contains the rules that direct how the state government
will be organized and carry out its work
most state constitutions contain the following:
a preamble
states the basic ideas and ideals on which the state government is founded
a bill of rights
lists the rights and freedoms guaranteed to all citizens who live in the state
an outline of the organization of the state's government
the duties of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches spelled out
provisions for elections
qualifications for voting that must be met by the citizens of the state
rules for conducting elections
provisions for managing state affairs
education, keeping law and order, building highways, regulating business, and raising money by means of taxes
methods of amending or changing the state constitution
a list of the amendments passed

10. States Working Together
Constitution
created a federal system with a strong national government
powers are divided between the 50 states and the federal government
when they joined the Union, states agreed to work together in harmony
full faith and credit clause
Article IV, Section 1, of the U.S. Constitution
"Full faith and credit [acceptance] shall be given in each State to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other State.“
ensures that each state will accept the decisions of civil courts in other states
ensures that each state will accept the official records of other states
marriage certificates, birth certificates, wills, contracts, deeds
state cooperation
extradition
method of returning fugitives to state where crime was committed
projects
bridges and roads
reducing water and air pollution

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12. The States and Federal Government
cooperation between the federal government and 50 states
domestic violence
Constitution states that the federal government must help any state put down domestic violence within its borders
such as rioting in a town
governor may call on the National Guard of the state
governor may ask the federal government for assistance
furnishing services
building highways
assisting the unemployed
helping people with low incomes
conserving natural resources
providing low-cost lunches for schoolchildren
offering job training to people with disabilities
times of crisis
natural disasters
hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires
security
terrorism