Amendment1866
Congress Considers 14th Amendment
The Joint Committee on Reconstruction began formal deliberations on what would become the 14th Amendment, which would guarantee citizenship to all persons born in the United States and require states to provide equal protection under the law. The amendment was a direct response to the Black Codes enacted by former Confederate states.
Why It Matters
The 14th Amendment's Equal Protection and Due Process clauses became the constitutional foundation for civil rights litigation, expanding liberty and equality for generations of Americans.