Which amendment includes due process and equal protection clauses?

• A. First Amendment
• B. Fifth Amendment
• C. Sixth Amendment
• D. Fourteenth Amendment

Answer: (D)

The main idea being tested is which amendment includes both due process and equal protection. The Fourteenth Amendment contains both: it prohibits states from denying any person the equal protection of the laws, and it also has a Due Process Clause that guards against state actions depriving people of life, liberty, or property without fair procedures. This amendment also does the important work of applying most of the Bill of Rights to state governments through incorporation, so these protections extend beyond the federal level.

Why this fits best: the equal protection guarantee is specifically tied to state action in the Fourteenth Amendment, and the due process guarantee is present there as well, making it the amendment that covers both protections in one place. By contrast, the First and Sixth Amendments address particular rights (free expression, religion, assembly, and criminal procedure basics) but do not jointly provide due process and equal protection. The Fifth Amendment does include due process, but it does not contain an equal protection clause, so it doesn’t meet the “both” requirement.