AP U.S. Government and Politics Glossary

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Enumerated Powers

Definition

Enumerated Powers are the powers explicitly given to the Federal Government and specifically to Congress in the Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. If it's not in the Constitution, it's not an enumerated power! When the Framers were designing our system of government at the Constitutional Convention they decided that one way to limit the power of the new Congress under the Constitution was to be specific about what it could do. These enumerated, or listed powers were contained in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution—the great laundry list of congressional powers, including: to lay and collect taxes; pay debts and borrow money; regulate commerce; coin money; establish post offices; protect patents and copyrights; establish lower courts; declare war; and raise and support an Army and Navy.  At the end of this list was one final power: to make all laws “necessary and proper” to carry out the enumerated powers. This power is known as the Elastic Clause, this phrase allowed Congress to stretch its enumerated powers a bit as it grew.

Example

 
 

Questions

  1. What do you think enumerated powers means in plain English?

  2. What about in plain Bengali?

  3. Use enumerated powers in a sentence that you can be proud of:

  4. Describe an example of enumerated powers in current events. W

  5. hat emoji would best summarize the meaning of enumerated powers?

  6. What are three things that enumerated powers allow the Congress to do?

  7. What are two things the US Congress does that are not enumerated powers?

  8. How does the Congress get away with that?

  9. What clause allows the Congress to do more than just enumerated powers?

  10. What would your life be like if your parents enumerated all the things you are allowed to do?

Remember!

Now, let’s commit this term to our long-term memory. On a scrap piece of paper, take 10 or 20 seconds to draw enumerated powers! Draw with symbols or stick figures if you wish. Nothing fancy. Don’t expect a masterpiece. No one else will see this but you. Look at your drawing. That’s all - now it’s downloaded into your memory. Destroy the piece of paper in a most delightful way.

Further Review

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