Originally Posted by
SonicFlyer
Historically the first 10 Amendments (known as the Bill of "Rights") never applied to the state governments, only the federal governments. Most state constitutions are more restrictive of their own governments than the federal Constitution is restrictive of the federal government. In the late 1800s and early 1900s the SCOTUS began making stuff up such as the Incorporation Doctrine which it then started applying the 10 Amendments onto the state governments. There are books written about this by Raul Berger, Tom Woods, and Forrest McDonald if you want to learn more.
Without agreeing or disagreeing with the post, the courts have been ruling that some of the items in the Bill of Rights have become applicable to the states by the 14th amendment.