Federalism refers to the mixed or compound mode of government, combining a general government (the central or 'federal' government) with regional governments (provincial, state, Land, cantonal, territorial or other sub-unit governments) in a single political system. Its distinctive feature, exemplified in the founding example of modern federalism of the United States of America under the Constitution of 1789, is a relationship of parity between the two levels of government established. It can thus be defined as a form of government in which there is a division of powers between two levels of government of equal status. 

Until recently, in the absence of prior agreement on a clear and precise definition, the concept was thought to mean (as a shorthand) 'a division of sovereignty between two levels of government'. New research, however, argues that this cannot be correct, as dividing sovereignty - when this concept is properly understood in its core meaning of the final and absolute source of political authority in a political community - is not possible. The descent of the United States into Civil War in the mid-nineteenth century, over disputes about unallocated competences concerning slavery and ultimately the right of secession, showed this. One or other level of government could be sovereign to decide such matters, but not both simultaneously. Therefore, it is now suggested that federalism is more appropriately conceived as 'a division of the powers flowing from sovereignty between two levels of government'. What differentiates the concept from other multi-level political forms is the characteristic of equality of standing between the two levels of government established. This clarified definition opens the way to identifying two distinct federal forms, where before only one was known, based upon whether sovereignty resides in the whole (in one people) or in the parts (in many peoples): the federal state (or federation) and the federal union of states (or federal union), respectively. Leading examples of the federal state include the United States, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, Australia and India. The leading example of the federal union of states is the European Union.

Answer the following questions:
1. Is Federalism a straight-forward form of government?
2. What is it?
3. What type of government is a provincial one?
4. How many political systems does it combine regional governments into?
5. When was the Constitution done up?
6. How many levels of government have equal status?
7. What is divided between them?
8. Do those include psychic, alien, or supernatural ones?
9. What is the best example of a federal union?
10. What is united in it?
11. What's an example of an actual federal state?
12. Which else?
13. Any others?
14. What differentiates the concept from other multi-level political forms?
15. Who is it between?
16. When did the United States descend into Civil War?
17. Why?
18. Over what?
19. What was the civil war ultimately about?

Numbered answers:
1. No
2. A mixed or compound mode of government
3. Regional
4. A single one
5. 1789
6. Two
7. Powers
8. unknown
9. The European Union
10. States
11. India
12. Australia
13. United States, Germany, Canada, and Switzerland
14. characteristic of equality
15. Two levels of government
16. In the mid-nineteenth century
17. over disputes
18. about unallocated competences concerning slavery
19. the right of secession