Final answer:
The Fourteenth Amendment was intended to apply basic law enforcement principles, as envisioned by the Founders, to the states. It guaranteed due process and equal protection under the law, initially restricted by the rulings of Barron v. Baltimore, but later expanded through selective incorporation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Fourteenth Amendment was meant to apply the Founders' basic conception of law enforcement to the states. This Amendment, ratified in 1868, sought to protect individual rights by extending the Bill of Rights' due process requirements, which had previously applied only to the federal government, to the actions of the states. Additionally, it provided a foundation for the principle of equal protection under the law and prohibited the states from denying citizenship rights. The incorporation of these protections into state law has been a crucial aspect of ensuring that all citizens are afforded the same constitutional rights, regardless of their state's laws and applications.