McCulloch v. Maryland reinforced which principle regarding federal power?

• A. Supremacy of Federal Authority Over State Laws
• B. States' Rights Over Federal Laws
• C. Judicial Activism With No Limits
• D. Presidential Executive Power

Answer: (A)

Federal authority is supreme over state laws. In McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), the Court addressed whether a state could tax a national bank and whether Congress had the power to create such a bank even if it wasn’t explicitly listed. The Court held that Congress has powers beyond those written out if they are necessary and proper to carry out its enumerated powers, and that a state cannot tax a federal instrument because doing so would obstruct federal operations. This decision reinforces the Supremacy Clause, establishing that federal law takes precedence over conflicting state laws. It also supports the idea of implied powers—allowing the federal government to act beyond the exact wording of the Constitution when needed to execute its constitutional duties.