Basic human rights that are considered essential to liberty and justice, receiving the highest level of constitutional protection and requiring strict scrutiny when government action restricts them. These include rights like freedom of speech, religion, and due process.
From Latin 'fundamentum' (foundation) and Old French 'droit' (right, law). The concept evolved from natural law theory through Enlightenment philosophy into modern constitutional doctrine, particularly strengthened by 20th-century Supreme Court interpretations.
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