This chapter analyzes the Necessary and Proper Clause, arguing it grants Congress incidental, not great and substantive, powers to effectuate its enumerated powers and those of the other government branches, reinforcing the Constitution’s limited government framework. It examines the 1791 debate over the national bank, where Madison, Jefferson, Randolph, Hamilton, and later Chief Justice Marshall in McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) agreed the clause authorizes only lesser, implied powers necessary for executing express powers, not broad authority to regulate for the general welfare. Unlike the Articles of Confederation, which limited the confederated government to powers “expressly delegated," the clause empowers Congress to exercise implied powers while avoiding an exhaustive enumeration unsuitable for a constitution. The chapter refutes revisionist claims that the clause implements the Virginia Plan’s proposal for a general grant of legislative authority, finding such arguments speculative and inconsistent with historical evidence. It argues that the clause’s “sweeping” nature captures minor details, not major powers, ensuring Congress’s authority remains tethered to enumerated powers and preserving the balance of the compound republic.