What is the Tenth Amendment to the US Constitution?
The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution grants the states the powers not granted to the Federal Government. It was drafted in 1787 and ratified in 1791 with the rest of the Bill of Rights. This amendment limits the Federal Government to the powers expressly mentioned in the document previously, and gives the states the freedom and power to govern all other matters. It combines with the Ninth Amendment to allay ambiguities in the rest of the Constitution.
The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution grants the states the powers not granted to the Federal Government. It was drafted in 1787 and ratified in 1791 with the rest of the Bill of Rights. This amendment limits the Federal Government to the powers expressly mentioned in the document previously, and gives the states the freedom and power to govern all other matters. It combines with the Ninth Amendment to allay ambiguities in the rest of the Constitution. Drawing on previous provisions of the Articles of Confederation, the Tenth Amendment has often served as a tool for the states against the Federal Government. States have charged the government with interference in environmental and labor regulations, which the states say the tenth amendment protects them from. These powers are not specifically given to the United States Federal Government by any amendments, and so should belong to the states, many argue.
