What is the Tenth Amendment?

The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." It gives the people or states any power not given to the federal government.

The Tenth Amendment is a part of the Bill of Rights and was introduced on Sept. 5, 1789. It became law on Dec. 15, 1791, when nine of the 12 current states voted in its favor. The Tenth Amendment was introduced by James Madison in an effort to limit the power of Congress.