What does the Fourteenth Amendment prohibit states from doing?

The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution primarily addresses citizenship rights and equal protection under the law. One of its key components is the prohibition against states from abridging the privileges or immunities of U.S. citizens. This means that states cannot infringe upon the rights guaranteed to individuals under the Constitution, ensuring that all citizens enjoy certain fundamental rights equally across different states.

This provision was particularly significant during the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War, as it aimed to protect the rights of newly freed slaves and to ensure their full participation in civic life. It serves as a critical foundation for various civil rights cases and has been the basis for numerous Supreme Court decisions that reinforce individual rights against state action.

Other options refer to rights that are more directly related to constitutional guarantees against federal action or specific clauses not included in the Fourteenth Amendment. For instance, freedom of speech is protected under the First Amendment, and issues like state religion fall under the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment as well. The terms of franchise, or voting rights, have been addressed through various amendments and legislative acts, but the Fourteenth Amendment specifically targets the privileges or immunities of citizenship.