<P> Another movement calling itself "New Federalism" appeared in the late 20th century and early 21st century . New Federalism, which is characterized by a gradual return of power to the states, was initiated by President Ronald Reagan (1981--89) with his "devolution revolution" in the early 1980s and lasted until 2001 . Previously, the federal government had granted money to the states categorically, limiting the states to use this funding for specific programs . Reagan's administration, however, introduced a practice of giving block grants, freeing state governments to spend the money at their own discretion . </P> <P> New Federalism is sometimes called "states' rights", although its proponents usually eschew the latter term because of its associations with Jim Crow and segregation . Unlike the states' rights movement of the mid-20th century which centered on the civil rights movement, the modern federalist movement is concerned far more with expansive interpretations of the Commerce Clause, as in the areas of medical marijuana (Gonzales v. Raich), partial - birth abortion (Gonzales v. Carhart), gun possession (United States v. Lopez), federal police powers (United States v. Morrison, which struck down portions of the Violence Against Women Act), or agriculture (Wickard v. Filburn). </P>

Why did the us adopt a federal system