State and Local Government Flashcards
7 cards from real Civic Literacy Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 State and Local Government flashcards as text
Which constitutional amendment prohibits states from denying any person equal protection under the law?
Answer: 14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause prohibits states from denying any person within their jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws, a cornerstone of civil rights law.
What is a 'block grant' in the context of federal-state relations?
Answer: Federal funding given to states with broad discretion and few restrictions on how it is spent
Block grants are federal funds provided to states or localities with general purposes and broad latitude on spending, giving states more flexibility than categorical grants.
What is an interstate compact?
Answer: A formal agreement between two or more states to address a common problem or shared interest
Interstate compacts are binding agreements between states, approved by Congress when they affect federal interests, used to manage shared resources like rivers or coordinate on issues like criminal extradition.
Which constitutional clause requires states to honor the public records, acts, and judicial decisions of other states?
Answer: Full Faith and Credit Clause
The Full Faith and Credit Clause (Article IV) requires each state to respect the laws and court judgments of other states, ensuring legal consistency across state borders.
Which level of government is primarily responsible for funding and overseeing public K-12 education in the United States?
Answer: State and local governments
Public education in the U.S. is primarily a state and local responsibility, with states setting curriculum standards and local school districts managing day-to-day operations funded largely by property taxes.
What is the doctrine of 'preemption' in U.S. federalism?
Answer: The principle that federal law supersedes state law when both govern the same subject
Federal preemption, derived from the Supremacy Clause, occurs when federal law displaces state law on the same subject, either explicitly or because the federal regulation is so comprehensive it occupies the field.
What is a 'categorical grant' and how does it differ from a block grant?
Answer: A federal grant provided for a specific, narrowly defined purpose with strict conditions on how funds must be spent
Categorical grants provide federal money for a specific purpose (like building highways or funding school lunches) with detailed requirements, giving states less flexibility than block grants.