What does the 11th Amendment address?

The 11th Amendment to the United States Constitution fundamentally addresses the issue of sovereign immunity, which limits the ability of individuals to bring suit against states in federal court without the state's consent. Ratified in 1795, this amendment was a response to the Supreme Court case Chisholm v. Georgia, in which the court ruled that individuals could sue states regardless of the states' will.

By adopting this amendment, the framers essentially ensured that states could not be easily compelled to appear in federal court by private citizens. This serves to protect the dignity and sovereignty of the states and aims to prevent federal courts from overstepping their authority by adjudicating cases against state governments.

This constitutional safeguard distinguishes the unique relationship between state and federal jurisdictions and highlights the importance of state authority within the federal framework. Thus, option B accurately captures the core purpose of the 11th Amendment.