Federation

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/federation

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is a federation and how does it work?A federation is a type of government where power is shared between a national government and smaller regions like states or provinces. Each level has its own powers, written in a constitution. This helps keep the country united while letting regions decide some things for themselves.
2. Why did the United States create a federal system?The U.S. wanted a strong national government but also wanted to protect the rights of each state. The Constitution of 1787 set up a federal republic to balance these ideas.

Unitary State: A state governed as a single entity in which the central government is ultimately supreme.
Confederation: An association of independent states that agree to cooperate on certain matters while retaining sovereignty.
Residual Powers: Powers not specifically assigned to the federal government or prohibited to the states, typically retained by the constituent units.