What powers are reserved to the states?

• A. The federal government holds all powers.
• B. All powers not delegated to the federal government nor prohibited to the states, including education and local governance.
• C. Only powers enumerated in the Constitution belong to the states.
• D. Local governments have no independent powers.

Answer: (B)

Powers reserved to the states come from the idea that the federal government is limited to the powers listed in the Constitution, so anything not given to the national government stays with the states (as the Tenth Amendment states). This means states handle many areas not specifically assigned to the federal government, such as education and local governance, which are traditionally managed at the state or local level.

So, the best answer reflects that anything not delegated to the federal government and not prohibited to the states belongs to the states. In contrast, saying the federal government holds all powers is inconsistent with the limits set by the Constitution. Saying states only have powers that are enumerated would ignore the reserve clause, and saying local governments have no independent powers overlooks that they derive authority from the states and can exercise their own powers within that framework.