Lessons · Teaching · federal, state and local
Three levels, and the level decides what it may do
Power is divided between a federal government, state governments and local ones. Some powers belong to the federal level, some to states, some are shared, and some are forbidden to all. Which level handles a matter is a question with an answer, not a matter of convenience.
Hone is a place to practise a career, one idea a day. This is one of its lessons, written out in full and free to read without an account.
In beta. This lesson was written for Hone and has not yet been checked by a state certification officer. Practice material, not professional advice. What that means.
What it is for
A pupil who asks why the rules are different across a state line needs federalism, and it explains why a driving age, a school calendar and a sales tax vary while a passport does not. It is the most immediately visible part of civics in a child's own life.
How to think about it
For any function, ask which level holds it and whether it is shared. Then look for the local version of it, because local government is the level a pupil actually meets: the school board, the library, the rubbish collection, the road outside.
Worked example
Federal: national defence, foreign treaties, currency, post, interstate mattersThings that only make sense done once for the whole country.
State: schools, driving licences, most criminal law, elections administrationWhich is why these differ as you cross a state line.
Shared: taxing, building roads, running courts, borrowing moneyBoth levels do these, which surprises people.
Local: schools in practice, police, fire, libraries, rubbish, planningThe level a child actually meets, and the one usually taught least.
Your turn
Name the level of government that runs libraries and rubbish collection.
Libraries and rubbish collection are run at the level
Solve one, graded on the server
The trap
Teaching that federal always overrides state. It does within federal powers, and outside them the states hold authority, which is what makes the boundary worth arguing about and worth teaching.