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Education: The Different Levels of Government

In the United States, power and the ability to pass laws is spread out across three levels of government: the federal, state, and local levels. Each level has different responsibilities and is in charge of a different group of people. Government at the federal level is in charge of the entire nation. Members of the federal government include the President, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. They make laws and deal with issues that affect the whole nation.

Members of the state government are in charge of making laws and protecting the interests of people in a specific state, like New York for example. The governor, and state representatives are examples of people involved with state government.

Finally, every city, town, or county has their own local government. They deal with the most specific needs of a local group of people, like keeping communities clean and safe. Members of the local government, can include a mayor, city council members, or county executives. Throughout New York City's history different places have served government functions for each level of government.

As you look through this story, consider some of the different responsibilities the various levels of government have and how they have changed over time.

New York Social Studies Scope and Sequence Standards 4.4b,c

For Teachers: Different Levels of Government Lesson Plan

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Federal Hall National Memorial

Did you know that New York City was the nation's first capital? George Washington was sworn into office at what is now Federal Hall on Wall St. The current structure was built to honor the occasion and a statue of George Washington looms over the street for all to see. In the nation's first capital, George Washington and Congress made many important decisions for the country. While in New York, Washington and Congress passed a bill that created the Supreme Court and the whole court system. Washington also appointed trusted advisors to important jobs, like Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of State. These individuals helped organize the nation's system of taxation and finance and addressed how the United States would deal with other countries. These are two important responsibilities of the federal government to this day!

Castle Clinton

Castle Clinton has a long and storied past. It was first constructed as a fort in 1808 to protect New York City from a naval attack. As New York City developed into a major industrial and financial city, more and more people began to move here. Many of these newcomers came from various countries in Europe. New York State soon realized that they needed to process and monitor all of the people trying to enter. The governor and the state government, transformed Castle Clinton into New York's first immigration center in 1855. From this point until 1892, when Ellis Island opened, New York State had the power to regulate immigration. While states no longer have control over immigration, they continue to have power over important issues like education. It is the state government which decides what you learn in school and when you learn it! Individual states like New York are run by a governor and some form of a legislature, which is the group of people who makes and passes laws. In New York there are two houses, the State Senate and the State Assembly. Members of these two groups work together to vote on and pass laws. Similar to the mayor of New York City, the governor of the state has the power to veto laws as well.

New York City Hall

While the federal government has a lot of power and responsibility, the US Constitution and Bill of Rights limit what can be done at the national level. The rest is left up to the states and local cities and towns. Since New York City is the country's largest city, and has been since 1790, the local government has great responsibility over many people. City Hall is the place where important decisions and laws are made. Since 1811, this building has served as the center of government for New York. It is here that laws like the recent Plastic Bag Ban were passed. Anything dealing with the immediate needs of the citizens of the city are first addressed by the local level of government.

Gracie Mansion

In addition to a City Council, which passes laws and speaks for the people of the different neighborhoods of New York, our city also has a mayor. The mayor serves as the leader of the executive branch of local government. In this sense he is similar to the president or governor, but only has power over the city. In New York, the mayor has the ability to appoint people to run city agencies like the Department of Sanitation or the NYPD, and to veto, or block, laws passed by the City Council. The power of both a mayor and a city council varies depending where you are, because each location and its people have the right to form the type of government they want. Traditionally, New York City's mayor resides, or lives, in Gracie Mansion. Named after its original owner, Archibald Gracie, this home has stood since 1799. After passing through many different owners, and spending some time as a museum, Gracie Mansion was made the official residence of the mayor in 1942.

Ellis Island

Throughout history, the responsibilities and role of different levels of government have evolved, or changed. Over time, the Federal Government has come to hold more decision-making power over various issues. This is what happened with immigration. Once an immigrant arrives into a certain state, they are free to move around the entire country. As immigration levels increased, the federal government realized that immigration was not an issue concerning just a few states, but all of them. As a result, Congress passed a law called the Immigration Act of 1891, which transferred control over immigration from the state to federal level. Shortly after, in 1892, the Federal Government opened up a facility on Ellis Island to process the nearly one million people who moved to New York each year! Ellis Island continued to welcome millions of immigrants to our city and country until 1954. By this point, most immigrants arrived by plane and the immigrant process shifted mostly to airports. How did you or your ancestors arrive in New York?