Which of the following correctly explains how the Supreme Court’s decision in McCulloch v. Maryland affected the powers of the national government?(1 point)

Responses

McCulloch v. Maryland affected the powers of the national government by limiting its power to create national banks based on its commerce power.
McCulloch v. Maryland affected the powers of the national government by limiting its power to create national banks based on its commerce power.

McCulloch v. Maryland ruled that the Tenth Amendment made state government powers superior to the powers of the national government.
McCulloch v. Maryland ruled that the Tenth Amendment made state government powers superior to the powers of the national government.

McCulloch v. Maryland clarified how the supremacy clause favors the legitimate power of the national government when it conflicts with a state exercising a legitimate power.
McCulloch v. Maryland clarified how the supremacy clause favors the legitimate power of the national government when it conflicts with a state exercising a legitimate power.

McCulloch v. Maryland affected the powers of the national government by ruling that the necessary and proper clause was unconstitutional.

McCulloch v. Maryland affected the powers of the national government by clarifying how the supremacy clause favors the legitimate power of the national government when it conflicts with a state exercising a legitimate power.

The correct response is:

McCulloch v. Maryland clarified how the supremacy clause favors the legitimate power of the national government when it conflicts with a state exercising a legitimate power.

The correct explanation of how the Supreme Court's decision in McCulloch v. Maryland affected the powers of the national government is:

McCulloch v. Maryland clarified how the supremacy clause favors the legitimate power of the national government when it conflicts with a state exercising a legitimate power.

To understand this answer, we need to look at the case itself. McCulloch v. Maryland was a landmark Supreme Court case decided in 1819. The case involved a dispute between the state of Maryland and the United States government over the constitutionality of a national bank.

The state of Maryland had imposed a tax on the Second Bank of the United States, which was a federally chartered bank. The bank, represented by cashier James McCulloch, refused to pay the tax, arguing that the tax was not within the power of the state to impose.

The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, ruled in favor of McCulloch and the national bank. Chief Justice John Marshall, writing for the Court, articulated the principle that the federal government possesses certain implied powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but necessary for executing its enumerated powers.

One of the key aspects of the Court's decision was the interpretation of the necessary and proper clause of the Constitution, also known as the elastic clause. The Court held that the necessary and proper clause gave the federal government broad authority to take actions that were necessary and proper to carry out its constitutional duties.

This decision clarified that the federal government's power is supreme or superior to that of the states in areas where they come into conflict. In other words, when there is a clash between a legitimate power of the federal government and a legitimate power of a state, the supremacy clause of the Constitution favors the federal government.

So, McCulloch v. Maryland did not limit the power of the national government to create national banks based on its commerce power, nor did it rule that the Tenth Amendment made state government powers superior to the powers of the national government. It clarified the principles of the supremacy clause and the necessary and proper clause, establishing the federal government's authority in cases of conflict with state powers.