Arching Principles Of The 14th Amendment Essay

Eric Foner stated that the arching principles of the 14th Amendment are all people are entitled to "equal protection of the laws", state and federal citizenship for all, irrespective of race and origin, ensured "privileges and immunities” and the concept of the "due process of the law" (572). Through these principles, the 14th Amendment revolutionized the dynamics of freedom in the United States. Prior to the passage of the Amendment, former slaves were still not only considered to be lesser citizens by their former masters, but were also treated in a manner that reaffirmed this perspective (Foner 570). This mentality was rife among White Southerners, which is unsurprising considering that slavery is an institutionalized system that supported the South’s agrarian society and economy. The mindsets of White Northerners were markedly different to that of their Southern countrymen, largely because of the North’s inclination towards industrialization and globalization (Foner 561). Hence, the Amendment guaranteed former slaves citizenship, meaning they were

Freedom was no longer a luxury that could be given or taken away by former slave owners or state officials. All peoples were inherently free both mentally and physically. White Southerners found this decree especially discomforting because they were still suffering from the withdrawal symptoms of slavery (Foner 560,561). However, former slaves and White Northerners considered the decree a victory for the United States and humanity in general. Previously, former slaves and Native Americans faced enormous challenges in owning property and were subjected to such frequent violation of their liberties that they had accepted it as part of their livelihoods. However, the Amendment vetoed all these infringements and made freedom a central theme of American society; a virtual birthright for all