Expressed powers are those that are
specifically granted in the constitution.
held by both the federal government and the states.
considered the basis for the “necessary and proper” clause.
inferior compared to powers directly given by congress

Expressed powers are those powers that are specifically granted in the constitution.

Expressed powers are also called delegated powers or Enumerated powers, which only belong to the national government.

Further explanation In a Federal government the sovereign power is shared by regional units called states or provinces and the central government or the federal government.  In a federal government, the central government has more sovereign power than the state governments. State governments do not determine the powers of the central government, but, these governments have their own independent powers and roles.  Powers in a federal government Enumerated powers  or Expressed powersThese are powers that only belongs to the central government. The Enumerated powers are specifically granted by Article 1, section 8 of the federal government of the United States constitution. They include; treaty making, foreign trade and interstate control among others. Concurrent powers These are powers that are shared by both central government and the state government. Such powers include, taxation and spending power together with borrowing of money. Reserved powers These are powers that only belong to the state governments. These powers are reserved to the states and allows the states to legislate and control to protect the safety, health and morals of its people. Examples of reserved powers are, zoning laws, state criminal laws, and environmental protection among others.  Prohibited powers  These are powers that are denied to the national or state governments or both. A good example is the fact that the central government cannot exercise its power that would interfere with the ability of the state governments to undertake their duties.

Key words: Federal government, powers, Expressed powers.

Learn more about:  Federal government: Power division in federal government: Concurrent

Level: High school  

Subject: History  

Topic: Government  

Sub-topic: Federal government