Answer :
The idea that a corporation was a legal person meant that:
c. corporations were protected under the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Explanation:
1. The concept of corporations being considered legal persons stems from legal doctrines that grant corporations certain rights and protections similar to those of natural persons.
2. The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution includes the Equal Protection Clause, which prohibits states from denying any person within their jurisdiction equal protection under the law.
3. Over time, courts have interpreted the term "person" in the Fourteenth Amendment to include corporations, thereby extending certain legal protections to corporations as if they were legal persons.
4. This legal recognition allows corporations to benefit from constitutional rights and protections, such as due process and equal protection under the law.
In summary, the idea that a corporation is a legal person means that corporations are afforded protections under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, ensuring they receive certain rights and legal safeguards similar to those granted to individuals.