Final answer:
In a confederal system of government, power is distributed equally among the state governments. Each state maintains sovereignty with a very limited role for the central authority. The United States began with a confederal system under the Articles of Confederation but shifted to a federal system to balance power more effectively between national and state levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a confederal system of government, power is d. distributed equally among the state governments. This means that each state retains its sovereignty and operates with a high degree of autonomy. A confederation has a weak central authority, which derives all its powers from the member states. In contrast, a federal system, like that of the United States, involves a division of authority between a central government and state governments, with specific powers enumerated to each level. For example, the U.S. Constitution grants the federal government the ability to declare war and regulate interstate commerce while retaining other powers for the states such as setting local traffic laws.
Historically, the United States began under the Articles of Confederation, which was a true confederal system that proved too weak to manage the country's needs effectively. This led to the creation of a stronger federal system as detailed in the U.S. Constitution, which still maintains the balance of power through the division of responsibilities between national and state governments.