What is a reserved power?

What is a reserved power?

• A. Powers delegated to the national government by the Constitution.
• B. Powers not delegated to national government by the Constitution, reserved to the states or the people.
• C. Powers denied to the states.
• D. Powers shared jointly by the states and the federal government.

Answer: (B)

Reserved powers are the authority not given to the national government and not denied to the states, so they belong to the states or the people. This idea comes from federalism and the Tenth Amendment, which says that any powers not delegated to the United States are reserved to the states or to the people. That means the federal government handles certain national areas, while the states retain broad power over matters like education, local governments, elections, and licensing, unless Congress explicitly authorizes action in those areas. The concept helps explain why many functions are carried out at the state level rather than by the national government.

Reserved powers are the authority not given to the national government and not denied to the states, so they belong to the states or the people. This idea comes from federalism and the Tenth Amendment, which says that any powers not delegated to the United States are reserved to the states or to the people. That means the federal government handles certain national areas, while the states retain broad power over matters like education, local governments, elections, and licensing, unless Congress explicitly authorizes action in those areas. The concept helps explain why many functions are carried out at the state level rather than by the national government.