Final answer:
The Supreme Court in McCulloch v. Maryland ruled on Congressional authority to create a national bank and state power to tax federal property, affirming implied powers and national supremacy based on the necessary and proper clause and the supremacy clause.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Supreme Court in McCulloch v. Maryland evaluated two key questions. First, it considered whether Congress had the authority to charter a national bank, which it affirmed based on the "necessary and proper" clause of the Constitution. Second, it addressed whether states had the power to tax federal property, deciding that they did not, under the supremacy clause of Article VI, which establishes that legitimate national laws override conflicting state laws.
Through these decisions, the Supreme Court established the doctrine of implied powers, enlarging Congress's ability to act in ways that are not explicitly stated in the Constitution if such actions are in pursuit of its enumerated powers. Furthermore, the Court upheld the principle of national supremacy, foregrounding the preeminence of federal authority in its sphere of action against the states.