Final answer:
The 14th Amendment profoundly affected civil liberties by extending due process and equal protection provisions of the Bill of Rights to state laws, defining citizenship without racial discrimination, and establishing the Equal Protection Clause, thereby providing a constitutional basis for civil rights and limiting state powers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ratification of the 14th Amendment in 1868 significantly altered the landscape of civil liberties in the United States. It extended the due process and equal protection provisions of the Bill of Rights to the states, ensuring that state laws could not abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens, nor could they deny any person life, liberty, or property without due process of law. Additionally, it defined national and state citizenship without discrimination on the basis of race, thereby overturning the Dred Scott decision and expanding civil rights.
Notably, the Equal Protection Clause in the 14th Amendment mandates that no state shall deny any person within its jurisdiction equal protection of the laws, which is vital for preventing state-enacted race-based discrimination. While not all provisions of the 14th Amendment were immediately effective due to lack of political or judicial action, over time, its clauses have been fundamental in the pursuit of civil rights and the incorporation of the Bill of Rights to the state level.
Through subsequent Supreme Court rulings, the 14th Amendment has played a crucial role in the extension of civil liberties and civil rights legislation, often referred to as part of the 'Freedom Amendments' alongside the 13th and 15th Amendments. It has become a cornerstone for civil liberties in America by limiting the powers of states and safeguarding equality and due process for all citizens.