Question: 14th Amendment

14th Amendment

This is my second amendment question, but can someone tell me what the 14th amendment. I heard it's long, so a broad overveiw would be fine. Thanks!

Date Posted: February 06, 2008 Tagged Under: amendment . 14 . history . Social Studies . constitution
Rating:
10.0

The fourteenth amendment is also one of the ammendments added to the Constitution following the Civil War and was meant to protect black citizens and former slaves, but really helped to define what being a citizen if the United States really means. It had two main sections, the first was the section on Due Process and the second provided Equal Protection. Due Process speaks to the fact that all citizens rights must be respected and that the government, both federal and state can not pick and choose which rights to honor. The Equal Rights section says that all citizens, whether born in the United States or are natualized citizens (became a citizen through the legal process) are protected by the laws or both the federal and state government.

This amendment was ratified and became a part of the Constitution in July of 1868.