Which amendment addresses due process and equal protection under the law?

• A. The Nineteenth Amendment
• B. The Fourteenth Amendment
• C. The Fifth Amendment
• D. The Thirteenth Amendment

Answer: (B)

The essential idea here is protecting individuals from state actions that could deprive them of life, liberty, or property, and ensuring laws are applied fairly to everyone. The Fourteenth Amendment does both: it contains the Due Process Clause, which restricts state governments from violating fundamental rights, and the Equal Protection Clause, which requires states to treat people similarly situated alike. It also extends these protections to actions by state governments through the incorporation of most guarantees in the Bill of Rights. By contrast, the Nineteenth Amendment deals with voting rights for women, the Fifth Amendment covers federal due process and other rights, and the Thirteenth Amendment abolishes slavery. So the amendment that directly addresses due process and equal protection under the law is the Fourteenth Amendment.