Research Paper on:
Federalism and the Structure of the US Federal Government

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
on the powers of governance being shared between the central government and the states (US Federalism Site, 2002). The overlapping and competing system of power outlined by the US Constitution  established a federal system of government that, through its division of powers, protects the liberties fought for during the American Revolution. Over the centuries since the ratification of the Constitution,  federalism continues to change to fit the needs of a changing nation; however, the manner in which this has been accomplished has aided the original purpose of the framers of  the Constitution. The principal goal of the American Revolution was to secure the "liberty" of the American colonies against the "tyranny" of the British. Yet, in many ways, once this  goal was achieved, the problems of the new republic were just beginning. Under the Articles of Confederation, the new states were much more like thirteen separate countries than a single  nation. It was still questionable as to whether or not the fledging country, the United States of America, would survive. The problems for the country under the Articles of Confederation  were considerable. Pertaining to the economy, it lacked the authority to establish tariffs and to regular commerce, or even to levy taxes (An Outline of American History, 2002). Pertaining  to foreign relations, the central government did not have exclusive authority over US international policy. Consequently, a number of states, after the victory over Great Britain, began their own negotiations  with foreign powers (An Outline of American History, 2002). Nine states organized their own armies, and there was a hodgepodge of currencies, a "bewildering variety of state and national paper  bills, all fast depreciating in value" (An Outline of American History, 2002). The government under the Articles of Confederation had no power to establish courts, or to control trade between