AP U.S. Government and Politics Glossary

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Concurrent Powers

Definition

Concurrent powers are powers that the Constitution grants to both state and federal governments. These powers may be exercised simultaneously within the same territory and in relation to the same body of citizens. These concurrent powers including regulating elections, taxing, borrowing money and establishing courts. Coining money is not a concurrent power because in the United States only the national government has the power to coin money, not the states. Enumerated Powers are the powers explicitly given to the Federal Government and specifically to Congress in the Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. Reserved powers are powers reserved to the States by The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Example

 
 

Questions

  1. What do you think concurrent powers means in plain English?

  2. Use concurrent powers in a sentence that you can be proud of:

  3. Describe an example of concurrent powers in current events.

  4. What emoji would best summarize the meaning of concurrent powers?

  5. What are three things that concurrent powers allow the Congress and the states to do?

  6. What are two things the US Congress does that are not concurrent powers?

  7. What are two things states do that are not concurrent powers?

  8. What Constitutional provisions allow for concurrent powers?

  9. What would your life be like if the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed concurrent powers?

  10. If you get married do you think you and your spouse will have concurrent powers?

Remember!

Now, let’s commit this term to our long-term memory. On a scrap piece of paper, take 10 or 20 seconds to draw concurrent powers! Draw with symbols or stick figures if you wish. Nothing fancy. Don’t expect a masterpiece. No one else will see this but you. Look at your drawing. That’s all - now it’s downloaded into your memory. Destroy the piece of paper in a most delightful way.


Further Review

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