What is the Tenth Amendment about?

What is the Tenth Amendment about?

• A. The power to regulate interstate commerce.
• B. Reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people.
• C. The right to free speech.
• D. The establishment of a national church.

Answer: (B)

Power is allocated between the national government and the states, and the Tenth Amendment makes that split clear. It says the federal government only has powers specifically granted by the Constitution, and all other powers are reserved to the states or to the people. In practice, that means most everyday policy areas—like education or local law enforcement—are handled by states because those powers aren’t listed as federal authorities. The federal government’s powers come from clauses like the Commerce Clause for interstate business and other enumerated powers in the Constitution. Conversely, rights such as free speech are protected by amendments in the Bill of Rights, and establishing a national church would violate the Establishment Clause. So the correct idea is that powers not delegated to the federal government belong to the states or the people.

Power is allocated between the national government and the states, and the Tenth Amendment makes that split clear. It says the federal government only has powers specifically granted by the Constitution, and all other powers are reserved to the states or to the people. In practice, that means most everyday policy areas—like education or local law enforcement—are handled by states because those powers aren’t listed as federal authorities. The federal government’s powers come from clauses like the Commerce Clause for interstate business and other enumerated powers in the Constitution. Conversely, rights such as free speech are protected by amendments in the Bill of Rights, and establishing a national church would violate the Establishment Clause. So the correct idea is that powers not delegated to the federal government belong to the states or the people.