The Tenth Amendment: States vs. Uncle Sam The Constitution’s Tenth Amendment is all about setting boundaries. It’s not flashy, but it’s foundational to how power is divvied up in the U.S. Let’s dive into what it says and why it matters. The Tenth Amendment states: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” This amendment is all about dividing power between the federal government and the states. The gist is simple: if the Constitution doesn’t give a specific power to the federal government, and it’s not explicitly denied to the states, then the states or the people get to call the shots. Mini Lesson on Federalism: Federalism is the separation of powers between state and federal government. In the very first constitution (the Articles of Confederation), almost all of the power was given to the individual states while little-to-no power was given to the federal gov...
The Ninth Amendment: Rights on Rights on Rights If the Constitution’s Bill of Rights was a greatest hits album of American freedoms, then the Ninth Amendment is the track everyone knows exists but can’t quite hum. It’s not the flashiest amendment, and may confuse some at first, but it packs a punch when it comes to shaping how power and rights work in the U.S. Let’s break it down and see what’s what. The Ninth Amendment is short and sweet: “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” Translation? Just because a right isn’t spelled out in the Constitution doesn’t mean it’s not a right. Think of it like this: the Constitution’s Bill of Rights lists a bunch of protections, but the Ninth Amendment is the catch-all drawer for the stuff that didn’t make the list. It’s a way of saying, “Hey, we know this document isn’t exhaustive, so don’t get carried away thinking it’s the end-all, be-all.” With onl...