Question

Read the excerpt from the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.

All persons born or naturalized in the United States . . . are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.

The citizenship clause of the Fourteenth Amendment is important because it

Answer 1

The Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment defined U.S. citizenship, overturned the Dred Scott decision, and granted equal protection under the law to citizens, thus transforming the constitutional landscape of American civil rights.

Step-by-step explanation:

Importance of the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment

The Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment is critically important as it provided a clear constitutional definition of citizenship. It states that "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." This clause is essential because it overturned the Dred Scott decision, which had declared that African Americans could not be citizens, and laid the groundwork for granting equal protection under the law to all citizens. The passage of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868 clarified that anyone, regardless of race, who was born or naturalized in the U.S. was a U.S. citizen and a citizen of their resident state. Moreover, the amendment provides other protections, such as due process and equal protection clauses, ensuring that states cannot deny these rights to their citizens.

Answer 2

It showed that anyone that was naturally born in the US is a citizen. Which means they get all the rights a US citizen has. Such as the right to Due Process also found in the 14th amendment