The 14th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified on July 9th, 1868. This Amendment gave citizenship to "everyone born or from the United States," which held slaves recently freed. Also, it prevents states from denying any person "life, liberty, or property without law" or to deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." By mentioning the role of the states, the 14th Amendment expanded the protection of civil rights to every American.
The 14th Amendment is divided into five sections:
Sections 1-5Section 1: The first section is focused on citizenship. The first section states that any person that is born in the U.S. or naturalized can be a U.S. citizen.
Section 2: The second section is about apportionment. The second section states that before the 14th Amendment, slaves were counted as 3/5, while freemen were counted as 1 whole. After the 14th Amendment, all adult males were counted as 1 whole person. Section 3: The third section has to do with the punishments of rebellion. The third section states that is an elected officer rebelled against the U.S., that officer could no longer be a representative. Section 4: The fourth section is focused on war debt. The fourth section states which debts are valid or invalid. U.S. debts to suppress the rebellion were vallidated. Debts to repay the rebellion and debts for emancipated slaves became invalid. Section 5: The fifth section states that Congress has the power to make laws and to enforce them. |
Primary TextSection 1: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
Section 2: "Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State." Section 3: "No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability." Section 4: "The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void." Section 5: "The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article." |