Books with title Limiting Federal Powers: The Tenth Amendment

The Constitution and the Bill of Rights were born out of a highly contentious and passionate ideological debate over the relative balance of federal versus state powers. The Tenth Amendment is a further attempt to address the challenges of reaching and maintaining that balance. Readers will learn about the historical context behind why this amendment was deemed necessary and how it was debated, drafted, and ratified. The application of the amendment to specific cases reveals how notions of states’ versus federal rights have evolved over time. The lively and high-stakes debate over federal power and its limitations is illustrated with reference to relevant contemporary issues, like drinking and driving ages, speed limits, gun ownership and use, health care, environmental standards, food and drug laws, and controlled substances. Readers will be fascinated by this ongoing conflict between state and federal government.

The Tenth Amendment says that the powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution belong to the individual states and their residents and can not be taken away from them. Like the Ninth Amendment, the Tenth Amendments wording is vague and abstract and often debated, especially when applied to such important contemporary issues as the drinking age, gun ownership, health care, environmental standards, and controlled substances. Through full-color and black-and-white photos, engaging text, and primary sources, students will learn why this amendment was created, how notions of states' versus federal rights have changed throughout history, and how this ongoing conflict between state and federal government affects their lives.