Final answer:
In McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court used the necessary and proper clause and the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution to justify the existence of a national bank and to confirm federal authority over state laws, establishing the principles of implied powers and national supremacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the case of McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court applied several provisions of the Constitution to define the scope of national power. Specifically, the Court relied on the necessary and proper clause and the supremacy clause to justify the creation of a national bank and assert the federal government's dominance over state governments in this context.
The necessary and proper clause, found in Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, was used to state that Congress had the authority to establish the Second Bank of the United States as a means to carry out its enumerated powers, which include regulating interstate commerce, collecting taxes, and borrowing money. Furthermore, the Court employed the supremacy clause of Article VI to assert that legitimate national laws take precedence over conflicting state laws, thus prohibiting Maryland from taxing the federal bank.
The decision in McCulloch v. Maryland established the doctrine of implied powers, providing Congress with leeway to use various means deemed necessary and proper to fulfill its constitutional duties. Additionally, it reinforced the principle of national supremacy, briefly stating 'the power to tax involves the power to destroy', to explain why a state could not tax a federal entity.