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10th Amendment

Definition

The 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution states that any powers not specifically given to the federal government are reserved for the states or the people. In other words, it establishes the principle of federalism and limits the power of the federal government.

Analogy

Think of the 10th Amendment as a referee in a basketball game. Just like how referees enforce rules but don't play in the game, this amendment sets boundaries on what powers the federal government can have, leaving most of them to be played by individual states.

Related terms

Federalism: This term refers to a system of government where power is divided between a central authority (the federal government) and regional or state governments.

Reserved Powers: These are powers that are held by either the state governments or by individuals themselves, as stated in the 10th Amendment.

Enumerated Powers: These are specific powers granted to Congress in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. They include things like coining money and declaring war.