<P> After the American Revolution, the electorate chose the governing councils in almost every American municipality, and state governments began issuing municipal charters . During the 19th century, many municipalities were granted charters by the state governments and became technically municipal corporations . Townships and county governments and city councils shared much of the responsibility for decision - making which varied from state to state . As the United States grew in size and complexity, decision - making authority for issues such as business regulation, taxation, environmental regulation moved to state governments and the national government, while local governments retained control over such matters as zoning issues, property taxes, and public parks . The concept of "zoning" originated in the U.S. during the 1920s, according to one source, in which state law gave certain townships or other local governing bodies authority to decide how land was used; a typical zoning ordinance has a map of a parcel of land attached with a statement specifying how that land can be used, how buildings can be laid out, and so forth . Zoning legitimacy was upheld by the Supreme Court in its Euclid v. Ambler decision . </P> <P> The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution makes local government a matter of state rather than federal law, with special cases for territories and the District of Columbia . As a result, the states have adopted a wide variety of systems of local government . The United States Census Bureau conducts the Census of Governments every five years to compile statistics on government organization, public employment, and government finances . The categories of local government established in this Census of Governments is a convenient basis for understanding local government in the United States . The categories are as follows: </P> <Ol> <Li> County Governments </Li> <Li> Town or Township Governments </Li> <Li> Municipal Governments </Li> <Li> Special - Purpose Local Governments </Li> </Ol> <Li> Town or Township Governments </Li>

Name the 3 governmental structures or types of governments in operation in the united states