Introduction
The Tenth Amendment gives all powers not explicitly granted by the constitution to the federal government to the states. As a result of this amendment and political differences between states and the federal government, several states are opposing federal policy under President Trump including: mass deportation, reduction of social services, and cancellation of infrastructure projects.
A4SC Resources
The below resources include relevant videos and lesson plans from our content library that will help contextualize this current event within broader, more enduring, concepts.
Tenth Amendment – This video defines the Tenth Amendment and explains the historical context from which it emerged. The Tenth Amendment is the basis for relations between the U.S. federal and state governments.
New York v. United States – This video explains a Supreme Court decision that has formed the basis for deciding future matters of state power over federal power.
Discussion Questions
- In your opinion, what is the most important benefit and the most serious drawback of American federalism? Does this benefit outweigh the cost?
- Name an example of a state government asserting power over the federal government.
- Do you agree that the state government in your example from question 2 had the right to assert that power? Why or why not?
Activity
Case Analysis: In small groups, have students visit the following site: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1991/91-543. After reviewing the case New York v. United States, have the groups summarize the core question and the Court ruling in their own words.
Additional Resources
- Tenth Amendment
- Lotz, A., Falconer, R., (10 June 2025). Newsom suing Trump admin over Marines, National Guard deployment to LA. Axios
https://www.axios.com/2025/06/09/newsom-california-suing-trump-immigration-protests
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