The Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause states private property cannot "be taken for public use, without just compensation," establishing constitutional protection for property ownership. The Supreme Court wrote in Armstrong v. United States (1960) that the clause "was designed to bar Government from forcing some people alone to bear public burdens which, in all fairness and justice, should be borne by the public as a whole." The protection covers two scenarios: direct takings through eminent domain, where the government acquires title to land for highways, pipelines, or development, and regulatory takings, where restrictions so severely limit property use that they amount to seizure. Initially applying only to federal action, the Court extended Takings Clause protections to states in 1897 through the 14th Amendment. Disputes persist over what counts as a taking—developers argue environmental rules constitute seizures, while governments claim broad authority to regulate land use for public benefit without triggering compensation requirements.