What does the 14th Amendment primarily protect against?

The 14th Amendment primarily protects against state government infringement on rights, which is pivotal in ensuring that individuals have their civil rights safeguarded from state actions. Ratified in 1868, this amendment includes several clauses aimed at securing citizenship rights for formerly enslaved persons but has since been interpreted broadly to encompass various protections against discrimination and violations of due process by state governments.

One of the most significant aspects of the 14th Amendment is the Equal Protection Clause, which mandates that individuals in similar situations be treated equally under the law, thereby preventing states from denying rights or privileges to any individual based on arbitrary classifications, such as race or gender. The incorporation doctrine has also arisen from this amendment, allowing many protections found in the Bill of Rights to be applied against state actions, thus ensuring that individual rights are protected not just from federal but also from state infringement.

In contrast, while the amendment does touch on aspects of federal overreach and local government actions, its primary focus is on the relationship between individuals and state governments. Therefore, the correct answer highlights the essential role of the 14th Amendment in protecting individuals from infringements by state authorities on their constitutional rights.