Final answer:
The federal government of the United States holds numerous powers such as taxing, borrowing money, foreign relations, raising armies and declaring war, regulating commerce, and much more. These powers allow the federal government to maintain control over important national functions and ensure a unified national policy. The Constitution ensures these powers are well-defined to prevent the issues that occurred under the Articles of Confederation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Powers of the Federal Government
In the United States governmental system, power is divided between the federal government and the state governments. The federal government holds a number of enumerated powers as outlined in the Constitution, ensuring its authority over both national and international issues. Some of the key powers include the ability to levy and collect taxes, borrow and coin money, conduct foreign relations, raise armies, declare war, and make peace, and regulate interstate and foreign commerce.
Further, the federal government is responsible for establishing post offices, regulating immigration and naturalization, operating the federal court system, and making all laws deemed necessary and proper for executing national powers, often referred to as the "elastic clause." The establishment of new states, control over territories, and the management of national parks also fall within federal jurisdiction. Under the Commerce Clause, the federal government wields significant power over economic matters.
The most significant powers also include setting taxes and tariffs, and through the "power of the purse," Congress has substantial influence over government spending and budgeting. The constitutional powers ensure that the federal government has adequate resources and legal frameworks to operate effectively and maintain national unity and defense.