Equal protection

Definition

The 14th Amendment principle that no state may deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. This clause has been the basis for landmark civil rights decisions prohibiting discrimination based on race, gender, and other characteristics.

Examples

  • Brown v. Board of Education (1954) used equal protection to end school segregation
  • The clause was used to strike down laws banning interracial marriage in Loving v. Virginia
  • Equal protection arguments have been central to gender discrimination cases
Key Fact

14th Amendment, Section 1 (ratified 1868): 'No State shall...deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.'

Related Terms

Due process Amendments Landmark supreme court cases Civil rights movements

Study This Concept

Practice equal protection with free review games in these units:

AP U.S. Government and Politics Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights U.S. Government Unit 6: Civil Liberties and Rights