What amendment is known as the "Equal Protection Clause"?

The Fourteenth Amendment is known as the "Equal Protection Clause" because it contains the provision that requires states to provide equal protection under the law to all individuals. Ratified in 1868, this amendment was a crucial part of the Reconstruction era reforms aimed at protecting the rights of newly freed slaves and ensuring their legal equality. The Equal Protection Clause specifically states that no state shall "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." This clause has been foundational in several landmark Supreme Court cases that address issues of discrimination and civil rights, making it a vital aspect of American civil liberties.

The other amendments mentioned do not contain provisions directly related to equal protection. The Twelfth Amendment deals with the electoral process for the President and Vice President. The Eighth Amendment addresses protections against excessive bail, cruel and unusual punishment. The Nineteenth Amendment grants women the right to vote. While all these amendments contribute to civil rights, the Fourteenth Amendment is the one that explicitly enshrines the principle of equal protection under the law.