What did McCulloch v. Maryland establish regarding implied powers and the supremacy clause?

• A. It limited federal implied powers and asserted states' supremacy.
• B. It rejected the idea of implied powers altogether.
• C. It upheld federal implied powers and held that federal law is supreme over conflicting state law.
• D. It allowed states to opt out of federal mandates.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that Congress can act beyond its enumerated powers if doing so is a sensible means to execute the powers actually granted, and that federal law takes precedence over state law. In McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court said Congress has implied powers under the Necessary and Proper Clause, so it could charter a national bank as a way to carry out its fiscal and regulatory responsibilities. At the same time, the Court invoked the Supremacy Clause to hold that federal law must prevail over conflicting state laws, so Maryland could not tax the national bank. This combination confirms federal authority through both implied powers and supremacy over states. The other statements don’t fit because the decision did not limit or reject implied powers, and it did not allow states to opt out of federal mandates.