1819: established the principle of national supremacy and the validity of implied powers. Which case is this?

• A. McCulloch v. Maryland
• B. Brown v. Board
• C. Marbury v. Madison
• D. Gibbons v. Ogden

Answer: (A)

It tests how the Constitution empowers the national government beyond what’s spelled out and how federal law can override state laws. In McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court held that Congress has powers beyond those explicitly listed in the Constitution if they are necessary and proper to carry out its enumerated duties. This establishes implied powers through the Necessary and Proper Clause. The decision also made clear that a state cannot tax a federal institution, reinforcing national supremacy under the Supremacy Clause. By upholding the bank as constitutional and denying state power to tax it, the case solidified that federal authority takes precedence over conflicting state actions. The other cases involve different issues—desegregation, judicial review, and interstate commerce—without the same combination of implied powers and supremacy.