Question

Why was the tenth amendment enacted?​

Answer 1

The Tenth Amendment was enacted to maintain the balance of power between the federal and state governments, ensuring that any powers not given to the federal government are reserved for the states or the people. It is a foundation of federalism and aims to protect individual freedoms and state sovereignty.

Step-by-step explanation:

Why the Tenth Amendment Matters

The Tenth Amendment was enacted to ensure a balance of power between the federal and state governments. This amendment is considered a cornerstone of American federalism, and it was included in the Bill of Rights as an additional assurance to protect people's rights and to prevent the federal government from becoming too powerful. The reserved powers clause safeguards the states by stating that powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states or the people. It is based on the principle that the Constitution does not list all possible powers, and therefore, those not listed or prohibited explicitly by the Constitution are assumed to belong to the states.

Federalism is the division of power between the national government and the state governments. The Tenth Amendment, along with the necessary and proper clause, provides the basis for the complex relationship between the states and the national government, often leading to conflicts over the extent of each entity’s authority. This dynamic allows for a flexible system where certain powers can be exercised by states unless specifically taken up by the federal government.

Moreover, the Ninth Amendment complements the Tenth by stating that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution should not be construed to deny or disparage other rights retained by the people. Both amendments play crucial roles in protecting individual freedoms and state sovereignty. The Legacy of the Tenth Amendment is also linked to significant historical issues, such as the abolition of slavery which required additional constitutional amendments, showing the complexities of states' rights in practice.

Answer 2

The final of the 10 amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights, the Tenth Amendment was inserted into the Constitution largely to relieve tension and to assuage the fears of states’ rights advocates, who believed that the newly adopted Constitution would enable the federal government to run roughshod over the states and their citizens. While the Federalists, who advocated a strong central government, had in that respect prevailed with the ratification of the Constitution, it was essential to the integrity of the document and to the stability of the fledgling country to acknowledge the interests of the Anti-Federalists, such as Patrick Henry, who had unsuccessfully opposed the strong central government created by the Constitution.