State Government vs. Articles of Confederation

One of the most important things for students to understand when studying Federalism is the differences between the States and Federal government. This will allow students to understand the divisions between leaders and the changes that were made from the Articles to the Confederation.

A T-Chart is a great way to separate and identify the respective powers of state and federal governments as wel as the ideas surrounding what the function and powers should be. By comparing and contrasting how each government functioned, students will be able to explain the differences between the two and evaluate how strong state governments were compared to the weak federal government under the Articles of Confederation.

Extended Activity

Have students create a T-Chart storyboard to compare and contrast the powers of state governments and federal government of today. Have them pinpoint the same separation of powers in the past, and how such powers have evolved now. Use your own state government to show specific state law and how it contrasts or is the same as federal law.