The central clause of the Fourteenth Amendment that limits state power is associated with which concept?

• A. Equal protection under the law and due process, restricting states from abridging rights.
• B. Commerce power and taxation authority.
• C. Protection of the states' reserved powers.
• D. Voting rights for women.

Answer: (A)

Constraining state governments through due process and equal protection. The Fourteenth Amendment centers on two key protections: the Due Process Clause, which prevents states from depriving a person of life, liberty, or property without proper legal procedures, and the Equal Protection Clause, which requires states to treat people in similar situations similarly. Together, these provisions limit state power by guarding fundamental rights and protecting individuals from discriminatory laws or actions. This framework is what later allowed many protections in the Bill of Rights to be applied to the states (incorporation). The other options refer to powers or topics not about how states are constrained by the Fourteenth Amendment: federal commerce and taxation powers, reserved powers for states, and voting rights for women.