Which of the following is an example of an expressed power held by the United States Congress?

Introduction / Context:
In civics and political science, the term expressed powers refers to powers that are specifically listed in a constitution or foundational legal document. In the United States, the Constitution explicitly grants certain powers to Congress, such as the power to declare war and raise and support armies. This question tests whether you can identify these expressed powers from the list of options provided.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The powers under consideration are declaring war and maintaining an army.
We are asked to choose which options represent expressed powers of Congress.
The answers include each power separately, a combined option, and None of the above.

Concept / Approach:
The United States Constitution, particularly Article I, Section 8, lists several specific powers of Congress. Among them are the power to declare war and the power to raise and support armies and navies. These are classic examples of expressed powers. The question lists these two powers separately in options A and B and then together in option C, so you must recognise that both are expressed powers and select the combined answer Both A and B.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that an expressed power is one that is clearly listed in the Constitution. Step 2: Recognise that the power to declare war is explicitly granted to Congress. Step 3: Remember that the power to raise and maintain an army is also explicitly granted to Congress. Step 4: Look at the answer options and note that A corresponds to declaring war and B corresponds to maintaining an army. Step 5: Since both A and B describe expressed powers, select option C, which states Both A and B.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, think of other sources you may have studied. Textbooks on American government usually present a list of congressional powers, where declaring war and raising armed forces appear prominently. These are not implied or reserved powers; they are direct, explicit powers. Because the question is asking for an example of expressed power and both A and B satisfy this condition, the combined option C must be correct. None of the above cannot be right because it would contradict the clear constitutional text.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
declaring war: While this is an expressed power, option A alone ignores that maintaining an army is also an expressed power, so the more complete combined option is better. maintaining an army: Similarly, this alone is correct but incomplete when the test offers a combined option that includes both correct powers. None of the above: Incorrect, because both declaring war and maintaining an army are indeed expressed powers of Congress.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to select only one of the individual correct options, thinking that the exam wants a single example instead of recognising that a combined answer represents a more accurate choice. Another error is to misunderstand the term expressed powers and confuse them with implied powers that arise from broader constitutional clauses. To avoid this, remember that expressed powers are specifically written in the constitutional text, and both declaring war and maintaining an army clearly fall into that category.

Final Answer:
An example of expressed powers held by Congress is Both A and B, which covers both declaring war and maintaining an army.