14th Amendment: Significant Changes To The Constitution

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The 14th Amendment was one of the most significant changes to the Constitution. The amendment contains the equal protection of the laws clause. It was added to the Constitution after the Civil War. The rules that the amendment states have been the result of several Supreme Court cases. The amendment has deeply influenced American History and the perception of equality. The Citizenship clause states that anyone born or naturalized in the United States are citizens of the U.S. and their state. The Due Process law states that no state may deprive any person of life liberty or death. Perhaps the most important clause is the equal protection of the law. The equal protection of the law clause guarantees that every citizen receives the same rights, …show more content…

Many notable Supreme Court cases have depended on the 14th Amendment and its clauses. One of the first was Plessy vs. Ferguson, where the Supreme Court said that segregation was Constitutional as long as the facilities were “separate but equal.” Another famous Supreme Court case involving this Amendment was Brown vs. Board of Education. In this case, the Supreme Court concluded that the separate facilities weren’t equal, which violated the 14th Amendment, so they reversed the ruling of Plessy vs. Ferguson. If it weren’t for the 14th Amendment, these cases wouldn’t have happened and the Civil Right Movement may have never occurred. The Equal Protection of the Law clause has led to many advances in racial equality. It not only helped free the slaves, but it also fueled the arguments of Civil Rights. The clause shaped the United States to be the role model of countries around the world. If not for this clause, we might still be segregated and the World would be very different. The 14th Amendment to the Constitution is one of the most significant changes in the whole document. The Fourteenth Amendment made America what it is today. It granted citizenship and many rights to African Americans. It was signed in a time for change and forgiveness. Without this law, our country would be just as racist and segregated as

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