Final answer:
The U.S. declared all persons born in the U.S. as citizens.
Step-by-step explanation:
The U.S. declared them as citizens.
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution stated that all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction are citizens. This amendment was passed in 1868 and granted citizenship to all individuals born in the U.S., regardless of their race or previous status as slaves.
Therefore, the correct answer is option 1) Declared them as citizens.