How does the Bill of Rights apply to state governments?

The Bill of Rights, which consists of the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, was initially intended to limit only the powers of the federal government. However, the Fourteenth Amendment significantly altered this dynamic. Specifically, the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to extend many of the protections found in the Bill of Rights to state governments as well.

This process, known as "incorporation," means that certain fundamental rights outlined in the Bill of Rights are applicable at the state level, ensuring that individuals have protection against both federal and state infringement of their civil liberties. Various Supreme Court rulings have utilized this clause to apply certain rights to the states, effectively reinforcing the nationwide standard for civil liberties.

The other options do not accurately capture the mechanism through which the Bill of Rights interacts with state governments. The "States Rights Amendment" is not an established legal principle and the Tenth Amendment addresses the powers reserved to the states but does not involve the application of the Bill of Rights. Additionally, claiming that the Bill of Rights does not apply to state governments overlooks the significant legal doctrine of incorporation that the Fourteenth Amendment enables.