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

In a federal system, citizens have a more direct influence at both the national and state levels, participating in both federal and state elections and potentially influencing policy at both levels. In a confederation system, citizens have the strongest influence at the local or state level, as the central government is weak and largely reliant on the member states. In a unitary system, citizens primarily interact with the central government, which holds most of the power and controls local governments

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

The division of power refers to the distribution of governmental authority among different branches, typically legislative, executive, and judicial branches, to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

3. How does the federal government shape the actions of state and local governments? Write your answer based on doing a bit of research on how the federal government has influenced the actions of NY state and local governments, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The federal government influences state and local governments primarily through grants, mandates and federal court rulings. During covid – 19 the federal government gave significant funding for financial relief to New York state and its local governments through programs like The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and other emergency COVID relief initiatives. Made lockdowns and mask policies to stop the spread of covid. Made every citizen In New York State to have a covid vaccination card. And Vaccination campaigns.

1-From what I’ve learned, the role of citizens really depends on the type of government system in place. In a federal system like the United States, people like me have a say in both state and national matters we can vote for the president, our governor, and even local leaders. That gives us more opportunities to be involved in decisions that affect our daily lives. In a confederation system, it’s different because the central government doesn’t have much power, so citizens mostly deal with their state government. It feels more disconnected from a national sense of unity. On the other hand, in a unitary system, the national government holds most of the power, and local governments only act with its permission. So, while people still vote, their choices mostly affect national leaders, and they have less influence on what happens in their local communities unless it’s allowed by the central government.

2-To me, the division of power means that government responsibilities are split between different levels mainly the federal and state governments. I think this system helps prevent one group from having too much control. For example, the federal government handles things like the military and printing money, while states can focus on local issues like schools and public safety. Some areas are shared, like taxes. I see this as a way to make sure everyone’s voice is heard whether it’s at the local level where people understand the community best, or at the national level where bigger issues are handled. This balance is important because it allows for both unity and independence across the country.

3-When COVID-19 hit, I saw firsthand how the federal government affected what was happening in New York. Through news and updates, I learned that the federal government sent billions of dollars to help the state manage testing, vaccines, hospitals, and unemployment support. Agencies like the CDC gave health guidelines that New York followed when deciding on mask rules and reopening plans. I remember how the federal government even sent a hospital ship to New York to help with the overflow of patients. While the state made some of its own decisions, it was clear that federal funding and guidance had a big influence. It showed me how, in times of crisis, different levels of government really have to work together and how the federal government can shape local actions without always giving direct orders.

the main difference between the roles of the citizens in goverment is that most of the people had to agree in order to make things in effect.it says “In fact, the ability of the federal and state governments to achieve their objectives often depends on the cooperation of the other level of government”.when it can to the unitary systems if was the only one that made subnational governments dependent on the national goverment.

2.the core mission of the divison of power is to make sure that the goverment is fair .They made it this way by making three different branches called the legislative branch which was in control of making laws,the executive branch is who people vote for , the judical branch is for people that break laws.it is a way to keep things in order so the goverment does not get to powerful for its own good.

3the federal goverment allowed president donald trump to give orders to the public to practice social distance and gave people stimulus checks to help aid people during covid 19

1. Primary Differences in the Role of Citizens in Federal, Confederation, and Unitary Systems

In a federal system, citizens have an active role at multiple levels of government. They vote for representatives in both the national government and their state or local governments. Power is shared, so people can influence policies in different parts of government. This means citizens participate in a more complex way because decisions happen at both state and national levels.

In a confederation system, most of the power is held by the states or local governments, and the central government is very weak. Citizens mostly interact with their local or state governments. The national government has little control, so citizens’ role in national government is limited.

In a unitary system, the national government holds almost all power. Local governments exist but only carry out what the national government decides. Citizens mainly interact with one central government and vote mostly for national leaders. Local governments do not have much independent power.

2. Understanding the System of Division of Power

Division of power means splitting government responsibilities between the national and state governments. Some things clearly belong to the federal government, like national security and immigration. Other things belong to states, such as issuing driver’s licenses or running schools. Local governments handle smaller, local tasks like garbage collection.

However, sometimes the federal government and states both get involved in the same issue, which can cause disagreements. For example, immigration and marriage equality used to be handled mostly by one level, but now both federal and state governments have roles. Courts often have to decide who has the final say.

3. How the Federal Government Shapes the Actions of State and Local Governments (Example: New York during COVID-19)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government played a big role in guiding and supporting New York state and its local governments. The federal government set national rules and guidelines, like mask mandates, social distancing, and vaccine approval. They also provided important funding to help hospitals, businesses, and citizens affected by the pandemic.

New York followed many of these federal guidelines but also made its own decisions based on local needs, such as when to open or close schools and businesses. This shows the federal government influences states by providing money and setting rules, but states have flexibility in how they carry out these policies.

Sometimes, federal funding comes with conditions, so states have to follow certain rules to receive the money. This creates a mix of cooperation and control, where the federal government can encourage states to act in certain ways without directly taking over all decisions.