14th Amendment Explained
July 9, 1868, saw the addition of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution after the Civil War. The 13th and 15th Amendments were also added along with it and together, all three are called Reconstruction Amendments. As the name implies, they were designed to reconstruct America, a country which was "half slave and half free", according to Abraham Lincoln. |
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Before explaining the 14th, one must know that the 13th put an end to slavery in America. So the 14th Amendment included (former) slaves and their descendents in the constitutional rights, which were denied to them earlier. They were now citizens with voting rights, and were protected by the government irrespective of their color, race or their former subjugation as slaves.
In other words, the 14th Amendment awards citizenship rights to everyone born or made citizens newly in the United States.
The (new) citizens could now enjoy the privileges of citizenship and as such, they cannot have their lives, freedom or property taken away without proper law trials. This was a right the slaves had been denied until now.
As citizens, they have to be law abiding and anyone holding a public office should not engage themselves in rebellious activities against the State.
No one is authorized to question public debt of the United States incurred to pay pensions and rewards for services to put down insurrection and riots. Likewise, any debt amassed to support rebellion or riots against the United States shall be declared illegal and annulled.
The Congress was given power to enforce this amendment.
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