14th Amendment

Definition

The 14th Amendment grants citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States,” including former slaves, and guarantees all citizens “equal protection of the laws.”

Related terms

Equal Protection Clause: Part of 14th Amendment ensuring that no state shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction "the equal protection of the laws."

Civil Rights Act of 1866: An act passed by Congress declaring that all persons born in United States were now citizens, without regard to race, color, or previous condition.

Due Process Clause: A clause in both 5th and 14th Amendments protecting citizens from arbitrary denial of life, liberty, or property by government outside sanction of law.