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6th grade · Social Studies · Unit 13 of 14

Federalism in Alabama

National, state and local government

What your child practices

How federalism divides power between the national government and the states, and between Alabama and its counties and cities, and how the legislative, executive and judicial branches work at each level.

Alabama Course of Study content standard: 6.15; 6.16 · federalism, and the branches of government at the national, state and local levels

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Federalism shares power between the national government and the states.
  2. National powers include printing money. The 10th Amendment gives other powers to the states or the people.
  3. Alabama has 67 counties, many run by a county commission. Courts decide what laws mean.

Example: Which power belongs to the national government: printing money or running county roads? County roads are local. One national money is printed for everyone. Answer: printing money

Federalism in Alabama in Alabama

In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 13 of 14 in 6th grade Social Studies, after Choosing Our Leaders and before A New Nation.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    How many counties does Alabama have?

    • 100
    • 50
    • 12
    • 67

  2. Question 2

    Which branch decides what laws mean?

    • the governor
    • the mayor
    • the courts
    • the legislature

  3. Question 3

    Alabama's current constitution dates from…

    • 1776
    • 1965
    • 1901
    • 1819

  4. Question 4

    How many members serve in the Alabama House of Representatives?

    • 35
    • 7
    • 105
    • 435

  5. Question 5

    States create local governments such as…

    • provinces of Mexico
    • embassies
    • countries
    • counties and cities

  6. Question 6

    Issuing driver's licenses is a power of…

    • the national government
    • the Supreme Court
    • other countries
    • the states

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