Question

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. -Tenth Amendment. Which phrase best describes the goal of this amendment?

A) To limit due process rights by adding an unnecessary amendment
B) To limit the power of the federal government by reserving powers for state governments
C) To restrain the power of judicial activists
D) To restrict civil liberties by limiting those who can vote

Answer 1

The best description of the Tenth Amendment's goal is to limit federal power and reserve certain powers for the states and the people, protecting the concept of constitutional federalism.

Step-by-step explanation:

The phrase that best describes the goal of the Tenth Amendment is 'To limit the power of the federal government by reserving powers for state governments'. The intent of this amendment was to safeguard the concept of federalism by ensuring that the powers not explicitly delegated to the United States by the Constitution, or forbidden to the States, are reserved for state governments and the people. This concept is intrinsic to the United States' system of constitutional federalism, positioning the states as a counterbalance to federal power and providing them with autonomous authority in matters not specified by the constitution.

As part of the Bill of Rights, the Tenth Amendment serves to protect the states' prerogatives and powers, preventing an overreach by the federal government into areas that are meant to be governed at the state or local level. This framework is crucial to understanding the balance of power between the federal government and the states within the United States' political system.