What does the 10th Amendment specify about powers?

The 10th Amendment to the Constitution explicitly states that any powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved to the states or the people. This principle is crucial as it emphasizes the federalist structure of American government, where states retain a significant degree of sovereignty and authority over their own affairs. By affirming that any unallocated powers belong to the states or the people, the amendment serves as a check against federal overreach and supports the notion that the federal government has only the powers specifically granted to it by the Constitution. This foundational aspect of the 10th Amendment aligns with the framers' intent to ensure a balance of power and protect individual liberties from potential government encroachment.