Which level primarily holds reserved powers?

• A. States
• B. The national government
• C. Cities
• D. International bodies

Answer: (A)

The main idea tested here is how power is distributed in a federal system. Reserved powers are those kept by the states, not handed to the national government. In the United States, the national government has powers listed in the Constitution (enumerated or delegated powers), while the Tenth Amendment states that powers not delegated to the United States nor prohibited to the states are reserved to the states or the people. That’s why states hold reserved powers. These include things like regulating education, issuing licenses, policing, and intrastate commerce—areas handled within a state’s borders. Cities are created and governed by state authority, so they don’t embody reserved powers themselves, and international bodies operate outside the domestic power structure. So the level that primarily holds reserved powers is the states.