What did the supreme court decision in the slaughterhouse cases do for?

Answer 1

The Supreme Court's decision in the Slaughterhouse Cases (1873) limited the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment's Privileges or Immunities Clause. The Court held that the clause primarily protected national citizenship rights rather than state citizenship rights, thereby restricting federal protection of individual economic rights and privileges at the state level. This ruling significantly weakened the ability of individuals to challenge state regulations that could infringe on their economic interests. It set a precedent that would hinder civil rights protections for many years.