Social Sciences and History / Unit 7 SSH 0626 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Classifying a Power: Enumerated, Implied, Concurrent, Reserved
The idea
The exam names a power and asks whose it is, and the anchor's two chapters give the categories. Enumerated: given explicitly to the federal government by Article One Section Eight: interstate and foreign commerce, armies, war, coinage, foreign affairs. Implied: not listed, but necessary and proper to carry out an enumerated power, under the elastic clause. Concurrent: shared by both levels: taxing, borrowing, making and enforcing laws, establishing courts. Reserved: any power not prohibited by the Constitution or delegated to the national government, kept by the states. Prohibited: bills of attainder, ex post facto laws, and suspending habeas corpus outside rebellion or invasion.
In practice
Given "regulating trade between Ohio and Kentucky", enumerated, commerce. Given "chartering a national bank to manage the money it coins", implied. Given "levying an income tax", concurrent. Given "licensing physicians", reserved. Given "declaring a named person guilty by statute", prohibited, a bill of attainder. Ask first whether the text names it, then whether it serves a named power, then whether both levels do it, and only then default to the states.
Where people slip
The trap is treating reserved as a list; it is the remainder. The second trap is the supremacy clause: a concurrent power exercised by both still yields to federal law in conflict.
Your place on the trail
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