American Government / Unit 2 Gov 061 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Elastic Clause
Captions available
The idea
The elastic clause — Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 — empowers Congress to make laws necessary and proper for carrying out its constitutional responsibilities.
In practice
A national bank appears nowhere on the list; the clause supplied authority to charter one.
Where people slip
Open construction stretches national authority beyond the list — hence "elastic."
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
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