Question

All of the following actions by a particular state would violate the 14th Amendment EXCEPT A. a zoning law prohibiting naturalized citizens from operating ethnic restaurants. B. legislation requiring citizens to pay taxes regardless of their beliefs. C. a bill requiring children of citizens of a particular ethnic origin to attend separate public schools. D. sentencing a person accused of murder without a trial.

Short answer

Option B, legislation requiring citizens to pay taxes regardless of their beliefs, does not violate the 14th Amendment, as it does not involve discrimination or infringement upon the rights and protections granted by the amendment.

Step-by-step solution

Analyze Options A, C, D

Options A, C, and D seem to violate certain principles of the 14th Amendment. Let's take a closer look at these actions: A. A zoning law prohibiting naturalized citizens from operating ethnic restaurants: This action potentially violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, which ensures that all citizens have equal protection under the law. Prohibiting naturalized citizens from operating ethnic restaurants could be seen as discriminatory based on national origin. C. A bill requiring children of citizens of a particular ethnic origin to attend separate public schools: This action violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, as it discriminates against children of a specific ethnic origin, segregating them in public schools. D. Sentencing a person accused of murder without a trial: This action violates the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment, which states that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law - this includes the right to a fair and impartial trial.

Analyze Option B

B. Legislation requiring citizens to pay taxes regardless of their beliefs: This action does not appear to violate any of the principles of the 14th Amendment. Taxes are required to be paid by all citizens, regardless of their personal beliefs, as long as the tax is applied equally to everyone and does not discriminate against any particular group.

Pick the correct answer

Based on our analysis, Option B is the correct answer: Legislation requiring citizens to pay taxes regardless of their beliefs does not violate the 14th Amendment, while Options A, C, and D all involve actions that would infringe upon the rights and protections granted by the 14th Amendment.