Final answer:
State sovereignty is the concept that states have the right to govern themselves and potentially nullify federal laws they deem unconstitutional within the federal framework of the United States, as designated by the Constitution and the supremacy clause.
Step-by-step explanation:
The view that the Constitution allows the national government only limited powers and that the states can overrule national laws if they determine that those laws violate the Constitution is called state sovereignty. This concept is part of the broader system known as federalism, where power is divided between the national government and the states. The idea is further supported by the supremacy clause, which asserts that federal law is superior to state laws, but it also respects the rights and powers reserved to the states, as defined by the Tenth Amendment. When state sovereignty is invoked, it reflects a stance that states retain powers not expressly delegated to the federal government, and therefore have the right to govern themselves in certain areas, potentially even to the point of nullifying federal laws they deem unconstitutional.