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Regional Governance Project

Federalism Education Project

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A note on the Significant Features 
of Fiscal Federalism

Federalism Education Project

The US Constitution is seen by many as one of the premier political documents of the last few centuries. Yet in the country where this document serves as the fundamental law of the land, many citizens are ignorant of its provisions, particularly regarding the balance of power between State and Federal governments.

How many people know, for example, that States are the only independent sovereign entities besides the Federal government? That all local and special purpose governments within States are the creatures of the States and can, at least in theory, be eliminated by those States at will? How many people can describe what is contained in the Tenth Amendment or have any sense of the evolution of power-sharing between States and the Federal government?

The answers to these questions are likely not to be encouraging. Federalism as a discipline and a topic of study has become an anachronism even though it was once a vital topic of discussion and dissension. Yet the issues of federalism are more important than ever in an age of activist government.

The Council is developing a program designed to re-invigorate the study of American federalism into all levels of education in the United States. The primary focus of this program is develop nonpartisan curricula and educational materials which can be used in primary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education. Several initiatives currently under development include:

• A "model" curriculum for a college course on American Federalism;

• A "model" curriculum for a high school course on the American Constitution;

• A "model" curriculum for middle/upper school course on American Government;

• A basic reading list on the history, evolution, and current workings of the American Federal system.

Also being developed are web-versions of these curricula along with a list of web links specifically devoted to basic education on essential principles and source readings.

To learn more about our activities, please click on the links in the left margin. You may contact us by e-mail at amcouncil@usa.com . 

Thanks very much for visiting our site and getting introduced to our organization. Keep checking back, for we will be updating these pages frequently. 

CAMERON GORDON
Executive Director
American Council on Intergovernmental Relations