History of the 14th Amendment
History of the 14th Amendment:
-The 14th Amendment to the United States constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868, as one of Reconstruction Amendments.
-Ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment was bitterly contested: all the Southern state legislatures, with the exception of Tennessee, refused to ratify the amendment. This refusal led to the passage of the Reconstruction Acts. Ignoring the existing state governments, military government was imposed until new civil governments were established and the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified.
-The Congress then declared that the amendment was part of the Constitution and ordering Seward to promulgate the amendment.
Significance:
– Establish what is so-called birth citizenship that all persons who born or naturalized in the United States, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.
– it is also important to African Americans and Asian Immigrants who couldnt be U.S. citizens before. The 14th Amendment sets up system to protect rights.
How different communities used it?
-European immigrants could easily get citizenship.
-African American started Civil Rights movement to unbury 14th Amendment to gain civil rights and equality, claiming that segregation is on its face violated 14th Amendment.
-Asian Americans also fought back to prejudice and discrimination.
With Naturalization Act 1790
-As the 1st Amendment to the U.S Constitution, Naturalization Act established rights for speech and freedom. And it also established great openness to Europeans, part of the 1st Amendment remained in 14th Amendment for citizenship.