What is Section 10 of the Constitution?
Asked by: Raegan Harvey PhD | Last update: February 17, 2026Score: 4.3/5 (33 votes)
Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 10) defines powers denied to the states, preventing them from acting like independent nations by prohibiting treaties, coining money, impairing contracts, or engaging in war without federal consent, while the Tenth Amendment reserves unlisted powers to the states or the people, establishing federalism.
What is section 10 of the Constitution about?
No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.
Did the founding fathers put God in the Constitution?
No, the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly mention God or a supreme being in its main text, a deliberate choice by the Founding Fathers to establish a secular government and protect religious freedom, though it does contain a date reference ("Year of our Lord") and the First Amendment prevents religious tests for office, reflecting a consensus on separation of church and state despite their personal faith.
What is section 10 all about?
The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all. Section 10.
What is Amendment 10 in simple terms?
The 10th Amendment simply means that any powers not specifically given to the federal government by the Constitution, and not forbidden to the states, belong to the states or the people, reinforcing the idea of federalism where power is divided between national and state levels. It's about reserved powers – if the Constitution doesn't mention it as a federal job, it's a state or people's job.
The Constitution Line by Line: Article I, Section 10 – Limits on State Powers
What is an example of a violation of the 10th Amendment?
Violations of the Tenth Amendment often involve the federal government overstepping its bounds by commandeering state resources or infringing on powers reserved for states, as seen in *Printz v. U.S. (forcing local police to conduct gun background checks) and *New York v. U.S. (requiring states to take radioactive waste), establishing the "anti-commandeering" doctrine that protects state sovereignty from federal mandates. Other examples involve federal laws dictating state policy on education standards (Common Core) or healthcare funding (Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion) through coercion, where states face loss of federal funds if they don't comply, though these have had mixed legal outcomes.
Who is protected by the Constitution?
However, the amendment doesn't say rights apply to citizens but instead guarantees that rights are for “any persons within its [United States'] jurisdiction.” Whether you're here on vacation, undocumented, living with legal status, or a citizen, the Constitution and the rights enshrined in it protect you.
What does section 10 mean?
The Meaning
Article I, Section 10, limits the power of the states. States may not enter into a treaty with a foreign nation; that power is given to the president, with the advice and consent of two-thirds of the Senate present. States cannot make their own money, nor can they grant any title of nobility.
What does the Constitution say about freedom of religion?
First Amendment. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
What actions are forbidden to the states section 10?
No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.
What did Albert Einstein say about Jesus?
Though Jewish, Albert Einstein expressed deep admiration for Jesus Christ, calling him a "luminous figure" whose personality "pulsates in every word" of the Gospels, acknowledging Jesus's historical existence and his profound, "divine" teachings, even if some sayings echoed earlier prophets, while advocating for a purified Christianity stripped of priestly dogma, focusing on Jesus's ethical message for humanity.
Did all 613 laws come from God?
Yes, the 613 mitzvot (commandments) in Judaism are traditionally considered to have been given by God to Moses at Mount Sinai, forming the core of the Torah, though the Bible doesn't explicitly state the number 613; Jewish tradition, particularly Maimonides' work, compiled and enumerated them from the texts of the Torah, with the Ten Commandments serving as a summary of these broader laws. The exact list and interpretation vary, with some laws being ceremonial, moral, or judicial, and not all are applicable today.
What did Stephen Hawking say about God?
Stephen Hawking stated that science offers better explanations for the universe's origins than religion, concluding there is no God or divine creator, and that the universe arose spontaneously from nothing according to physical laws, not divine will, seeing no need for a higher power to set things in motion. While initially suggesting God might have set the laws, he later clarified he was an atheist, believing the simplest explanation is no God and that humans invented God to explain the unexplainable, which science now addresses.
What is Section 10 of the Constitution Article 4?
10. (a) Each bill passed by the Legislature shall be presented to the Governor. It becomes a statute if it is signed by the Governor. The Governor may veto it by returning it with any objections to the house of origin, which shall enter the objections in the journal and proceed to reconsider it.
Can a president change the Constitution?
The Constitution does not give a president the power to violate the Constitution, create or change congressional statutes, or override U.S. Supreme Court decisions—no matter what the EOs say.
What does Article 10 mean?
Article 10 of Indian Constitution guarantees the protection of fundamental rights such as equality, freedom of speech and expression, and the right to life and personal liberty. These rights are applicable to all individuals recognized as citizens under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
What is the fastest-growing religion in USA?
According to various scholars and sources Pentecostalism – a Protestant Christian movement – is the fastest growing religion in the world, this growth is primarily due to religious conversion. According to Pulitzer Center 35,000 people become Pentecostal or "Born again" every day.
What's the difference between religion & spirituality?
Spirituality is a personal quest for meaning and connection to something greater, focusing inward on inner peace, purpose, and connection to self, others, or the universe, often outside formal structures. Religion is typically an organized, communal system of beliefs, rituals, and practices centered around a shared deity or philosophy, providing external guidance, doctrines, and a structured path for connecting with the divine. While religion often serves as a vessel for spirituality, one can be spiritual without being religious, or engage in both, with spirituality emphasizing personal experience and religion emphasizing shared traditions and dogma.
Does the Constitution actually say separation of church and state?
No, the exact phrase "separation of church and state" isn't in the U.S. Constitution, but the principle is established by the First Amendment's Establishment Clause: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," which prevents government endorsement of religion and protects religious freedom, as interpreted by courts to create a "wall of separation". This foundational idea ensures the government doesn't favor or disfavor any religion, protecting both religious practice and secular governance.
What is the purpose of Section 10?
Section 10 provides a tax exemption for salaried individuals residing in rented accommodations. The exempt amount is determined by the least of the following: Actual HRA received. Rent paid minus 10% of salary.
What is Section 10 of the 1987 Constitution?
The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all. Section 10.
What exemptions are in section 10?
Popular Section 10 Exemptions
- House Rent Allowance (HRA)
- Leave Travel Allowance.
- Agricultural Income.
- Interest on provident fund (on satisfaction of conditions)
- Retirement settlement amount such as gratuity, leave encashment, pension, etc. ( on satisfaction of conditions)
What is the most controversial constitutional amendment?
The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976 is one of the most significant and controversial amendments to the Constitution of India, often referred to as the “Mini Constitution” due to the extensive and wide-ranging changes it introduced.
Does federal law trump state law?
The Supremacy Clause refers to the foundational principle that, in general, federal law takes precedence over any conflicting state law.
How does the 10th Amendment apply today?
Today, the Tenth Amendment still advocates federalism (the division of power between the federal and state governments). It is most commonly invoked in situations like those in Printz and New York, where the federal government commands a state to administer a federal law. With the Court's decision in Dobbs v.