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THE QUESTION

What is the purpose of the 10th Amendment?

THE ANSWER

(It states that the) powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or to the people.

ALSO ACCEPTED

English question & answer

What is the purpose of the 10th Amendment?

(It states that the) powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or to the people.

All accepted answers (English)
  • (It states that the) powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or to the people.
READ THE EXPLANATION
THE CONTEXT

National and state government

This is the idea of reserved powers. The Constitution divides authority between national and state government.

How it fits together

Federalism divides authority between the national government and the states. The Constitution gives the federal government powers such as regulating national currency and conducting foreign relations. The 10th Amendment reserves undelegated powers to the states or the people, unless the Constitution prohibits them to the states.

A closer look

States handle many matters close to daily life, including education and driver licensing. In practice, federal, state, and local responsibilities can overlap. For location-specific questions, use the state and district where you live, not your birthplace or a previous address.

Go to the source

    The question and accepted answers come from USCIS. Explanations and translations are Verbacard editorial content.

    Translations support understanding. They do not determine which language you may use at your interview.

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    2025 USCIS test · 2026–2027 deck