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Civic focus: When States Draw Different Lines How Federalism Shapes Everyday Life

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Chapter 10: Protecting States from Certain Lawsuits

Read Paperback page 79 onward in your copy of The Constitution Kids. Story events are fiction; verify historical claims with primary sources.

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When States Draw Different Lines How Federalism Shapes Everyday Life

Imagine driving across state borders and suddenly facing new rules about everything from texting while driving to health care access. This patchwork of laws reflects a powerful idea in our Constitution called federalism, where states have room to make their own choices—sometimes very different from their neighbors.

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