In which case did the Supreme Court reinforce federal supremacy by upholding implied powers of Congress to create a national bank?

• A. Marbury v. Madison (1803)
• B. McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
• C. Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
• D. Wickard v. Filburn (1942)

Answer: (B)

The main concept here is how Congress can use implied powers to strengthen federal authority, and how federal law can override state action. In McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court said Congress may charter a national bank as a legitimate means to execute its enumerated powers (like taxing, coining money, and regulating commerce) even though a bank isn’t explicitly listed in the Constitution. This relies on the Necessary and Proper Clause, which allows Congress to pass laws needed to carry out its constitutional duties.

At the same time, the Court affirmed federal supremacy through the Supremacy Clause: Maryland could not tax the national bank because allowing states to tax federal instruments would undermine federal authority. So the decision ties together two ideas—broad implied powers and national supremacy—establishing that federal institutions and laws take precedence over state laws when they intrude on constitutional federal powers. The other cases you might see cited here show different constitutional issues, but this one specifically reinforces federal supremacy via Congress’s implied powers to create a national bank.