Civil Rights Act of 1866

Definition

This was the first United States federal law to define citizenship and affirm that all citizens are equally protected by the law. It was mainly intended to protect the civil rights of African-Americans in the wake of the American Civil War.

Related terms

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

Dred Scott v. Sandford: A Supreme Court case where it was ruled that African Americans were not U.S. citizens, which led to increased tensions leading up to the Civil War.

13th Amendment: An amendment abolishing slavery in all U.S territories.