Which two constitutional provisions have been at the heart of constitutional struggles between federal and state powers throughout American history?
A)the preamble and the elastic clause
B)the Eighteenth Amendment and the Twentieth Amendment
C)the Eighteenth Amendment and the Twenty-Fifth Amendment
D)the elastic clause and the Tenth Amendment

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The elastic clause, also known as the necessary and proper clause, grants Congress the power to make laws that are necessary and proper for carrying out its enumerated powers. This has been a point of contention between federal and state powers, since laws made under this clause can potentially expand federal power at the expense of state power. The Tenth Amendment, on the other hand, states that any powers not delegated to the federal government nor prohibited to the states belong to the states or the people. This has been used as a defense by states seeking to limit federal power and assert their own authority.

Which Two Constitutional Provisions Have Been at the Heart of Constitutional