1. Describe the primary differences in the role of citizens in government among the federal, confederation, and unitary systems.

• Federal system: Citizens participate in national, state, and local government. People vote for leaders at all three levels, and each level has its own responsibilities. An example is the United States, where we vote for the president, governor, and mayor.
• Confederation system: Most power belongs to the states or regions. Citizens are affected more by their state government because that is where most decisions are made. The national government has limited power.
• Unitary system: Most power belongs to the national government. Local governments have less authority and mainly carry out decisions made by the central government. Citizens have less influence at the local level.

2. Briefly explain how you understand the system of division of power.

The division of power is a way of sharing responsibilities between different levels of government so that one government does not control everything. Some examples are: the federal government handles national defense and immigration, New York State issues driver’s licenses and helps set education policies, and New York City manages local services like sanitation, public parks, and many public schools. This system allows different levels of government to focus on the issues they are responsible for while still working together.

3. How does the federal government shape the actions of state and local governments? Use New York during COVID-19 as an example.

During COVID-19, the federal government had a major influence on New York State and local governments. The federal government provided funding, resources, and health recommendations that helped New York respond to the pandemic. Some examples include federal funding for hospitals, testing sites, and vaccine distribution, CDC guidance on masks, social distancing, and vaccines, and relief programs that helped schools, businesses, and families who were struggling financially. Living in New York, many people remember the testing centers and vaccine sites that were set up throughout the city. While New York State made many of its own decisions, those decisions were often influenced by federal funding and recommendations. This showed how different levels of government can work together during a major crisis and is a good example of federalism in action.