__________ is a political system in which the national government shares power with local governments.

• A. A republic
• B. Federalism
• C. A confederation
• D. A unitary government

Answer: (B)

Federalism is a political system in which the national government shares power with local governments. The idea rests on a constitution that assigns certain powers to the national level (such as defense and currency) and others to subnational units (such as education and local policing), while allowing for some areas of overlap. Both levels derive authority from the people and operate within their own spheres, with changes to power distribution typically requiring agreement between levels or a constitutional amendment. This setup contrasts with a unitary government, where most authority is centralized, and with a confederation, where the central authority is weaker and member states retain most sovereignty. A republic describes a representative form of government rather than the division of powers itself. So, the system described is federalism.