What does the Fourteenth Amendment protect?

The Fourteenth Amendment primarily protects the rights to life, liberty, and property by prohibiting states from denying these rights without due process of law. This amendment, ratified in 1868, was a significant part of the Reconstruction Amendments and aimed to ensure that all persons born or naturalized in the United States are granted equal protection under the law.

This commitment to due process applies to all citizens, making it foundational in cases related to civil rights and liberties. The incorporation doctrine, developed through various Supreme Court decisions, has further extended the protections found in the Bill of Rights to apply at the state level through the Fourteenth Amendment.

The other options, while important rights, fall under different contexts or amendments. The right to vote is protected under specific acts and amendments, like the Voting Rights Act and the Fifteenth and Nineteenth Amendments, but is not explicitly outlined in the Fourteenth Amendment. The right to a speedy trial is addressed in the Sixth Amendment, focusing specifically on criminal proceedings. The right to bear arms is articulated in the Second Amendment. Thus, the correct answer emphasizes the broad protections of life, liberty, and property as outlined in the Fourteenth Amendment.