Final answer:
Initially, civil liberties were constraints placed only on the federal government, as states had their own constitutions and rights protections. The implementation of the Fourteenth Amendment and various court decisions have since extended the Bill of Rights' protections to state actions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Originally, civil liberties applied only to the federal government and not to the states because the Bill of Rights was intended as a restriction on the federal government. This was a reflection of the fear of a strong central authority, emanating from experiences with British rule, and a desire to preserve states' powers. Each state had its own constitution and laws protecting individual rights. The Tenth Amendment reinforced that all powers not granted to the federal government were reserved to the states. However, following the Civil War, the Fourteenth Amendment and subsequent Supreme Court rulings began applying the Bill of Rights to the states through selective incorporation. This process has been a matter of ongoing debate concerning the balance between individual freedoms and societal interests.