Question

select the correct answer.
which statement best describes federalism?
a. it is the authority to make and enforce decisions based on a written constitution.

b. it is the difference in the functions of the economy’s public and private sectors.

c. it is the division of powers between a national government and the state governments.

d. it is the use of checks and balances between the three different government branches.

Explanation:

To determine the correct answer, we analyze each option:

• Option A describes constitutional governance (rule of law based on constitution), not federalism.
• Option B refers to the public - private sector difference in the economy, irrelevant to federalism.
• Option C: Federalism is defined as the division of powers (such as legislative, executive, etc.) between a national (federal) government and state (or sub - national) governments. This matches the definition of federalism.
• Option D describes the system of checks and balances among the three branches (legislative, executive, judicial) of a single government, not federalism.

Answer:

C. It is the division of powers between a national government and the state governments.