What does the Tenth Amendment stipulate?

The Tenth Amendment, part of the Bill of Rights, emphasizes the principle of federalism by stating that powers not specifically delegated to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved for the states or the people. This means that any authority that is not explicitly granted to the federal government, nor prohibited to the states, remains with the states or the populace. This provision is crucial because it serves to limit the scope of federal power while empowering states to exercise their own powers and make decisions that pertain to local governance and individual states’ rights.

This amendment thus reinforces the concept of a government of limited powers, a foundational principle in the U.S. legal system, ensuring that the federal government does not overreach into areas that are intended to be managed at the state level. The other options do not accurately reflect this principle; they either suggest an over-concentration of power at the federal level or misrepresent the division of powers as entirely equal or restricted in ways that undermine state autonomy.