10th Amendment

Rights Reserved to States or People

Passed by Congress September 25, 1789. Ratified December 15, 1791. The first 10 amendments form the Bill of Rights

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.

Read Interpretations of the Tenth Amendment

More about 10th Amendment

The Drafting Table

Coming soon for this provision! Until then, you can use Writing Rights to explore key historical documents, early drafts and major proposals behind each provision, and discover how the drafters deliberated, agreed and disagreed, on the path to compromise and the final text.

In the Classroom

Teach the Constitution in your classroom with nonpartisan resources including videos, lesson plans, podcasts, and more. Check out our classroom resources organized by each article or amendment, and by key constitutional questions.

Media Library: 10th Amendment

Town Hall Video

The Coronavirus and the Law: A Conversation with Two State Attorneys General

Attorneys General Tim Fox and General Gurbir S. Grewal discuss the role of state attorneys general in the coronavirus crisis.

May 5

Blog Post

The Hatch Act: Should We Care? The Supreme Court Did

A U.S. House committee this week asked the U.S. Office of Special Counsel to investigate possible federal Hatch Act violations by…

Sep 4

Educational Video

Scholar Exchange: The Bill of Rights with Linda Monk

In this Fun Friday session, award-winning author and constitutional scholar Linda R. Monk joins Center President and CEO Jeffrey…

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