State Government Goals C&G.2.1– Analyze the structure of state and local governments. C&G.2.4 – Identify the principles in the North Carolina Constitution.

I. The Federal System A. Constitutional Basis for Federalism 1. The system in which power is shared between the national system & state governments is called the federal system or federalism 2. Under federalism, certain powers are delegated to the federal government, shared or reserved to the states 3. Constitution does not list the powers of state governments; instead, it specifies what the state governments may not do a. Reserved Powers i. According to the 10th Amendment, state governments may exercise all powers not given to the federal government or denied to the states ii. These are the reserved powers (ex. powers to make marriage & divorce laws, to regulate education & to conduct elections)

b. Supremacy Clause i. Framers of the U.S. Constitution recognized that sometimes powers of the state would conflict with those of the federal government ii. They declared (in Article VI) that the Constitution & the laws Congress makes shall be “the supreme law of the land” iii. If a state law & federal law conflict, the federal law has greater authority & power

II. State Constitutions A. Each state has its own constitution (or plan for government) which is typically more detailed than the U.S. Constitution B. Article IV requires each state to have a “republican form of government” C. Typically, each state constitution: 1. Begins with a preamble 2. Provides for three branches of government 3. Includes a bill of rights 4. Includes an amendment process

III. Federal-State Cooperation A. State and federal governments do not always agree; but most of the time, they tend to work together B. Examples of federal-state cooperation: 1. Federal government protects each state against invasion and domestic violence 2. States provide certain services for the federal government (ex. conducting elections) 3. State & federal agencies share information 4. Federal government provides funding for many state services IV. Cooperation Between States A. Constitution helps ensure that states cooperate with each other as well as with the federal government B. According to Article IV, each state must give “full faith and credit” to the laws & court decisions of other states (meaning each state must accept & uphold these laws & decisions)

V. North Carolina State Government A. The N.C. Constitution - N.C. has had three constitutions (1776, 1868, & 1971) 1. Principles- many principles found in the N.C. Constitution are also included in the U.S. Constitution: a. Popular sovereignty b. Separation of powers c. Checks and balances d. States’ rights e. Limited government f. Civil liberties 2. Amendment Process- can be changed by 3/5’s vote of General Assembly & majority of votes of citizens (i.e. Finance Amendment- ratified in 1970; impacted the financing of local governments & further separated powers between the judicial and legislative branches)

3. Structure and Organization a. Longer than the U.S. Constitution and includes a preamble,14 articles and 29 amendments  actually added into the body of the NC Constitution b. Article I - Declaration of Rights is similar to the Bill of Rights; it lists the rights of the people and limits the powers of the state government (ex. Article I, Section 2establishes popular sovereignty) c. Articles II through IV outline the three branches of government d. Remaining Articles deal with finance, suffrage, local government, corporations, education, property, punishments & military forces