"On July 9, 1868, the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution became law and granted birthright citizenship to all those born in the United States who are under the jurisdiction of the U.S. government. The purpose of the citizenship clause of that amendment was to overturn the 1857 Dred Scott v. Sandford decision, in which the Supreme Court ruled black Americans could never become citizens.
Although it was intended to rectify inequities left over from slavery, the 14th Amendment unintentionally created a peculiarly American-style of citizenship that we should all appreciate on the 149th anniversary of its ratification.
The 14th amendment states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” In the 1898 case of United States v. Wong Kim Ark, the Supreme Court ruled that the children of all immigrants, including those who could not naturalize, are citizens. Since then, the 14th Amendment has applied to all children of all immigrants — both legal and illegal."
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"The cultural and social acceptance of Americans regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, and other characteristics took longer than the legal acceptance. Americans frequently viewed others born here who were black, Asian, or Catholic as less American, but after the 14thAmendment they all had citizenship. By granting citizenship to all those born here, despite the prejudices of their times, the descendants of those immigrants became American without facing much legal discrimination. The legal and cultural discrimination and prejudice that did persist was easier to overcome for citizens than for a stateless mass of American-born non-citizens. Thus, the American social and cultural conception of citizen eventually expanded to include blacks and the descendants of all immigrants."
Although it was intended to rectify inequities left over from slavery, the 14th Amendment unintentionally created a peculiarly American-style of citizenship that we should all appreciate on the 149th anniversary of its ratification.
The 14th amendment states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” In the 1898 case of United States v. Wong Kim Ark, the Supreme Court ruled that the children of all immigrants, including those who could not naturalize, are citizens. Since then, the 14th Amendment has applied to all children of all immigrants — both legal and illegal."
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"The cultural and social acceptance of Americans regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, and other characteristics took longer than the legal acceptance. Americans frequently viewed others born here who were black, Asian, or Catholic as less American, but after the 14thAmendment they all had citizenship. By granting citizenship to all those born here, despite the prejudices of their times, the descendants of those immigrants became American without facing much legal discrimination. The legal and cultural discrimination and prejudice that did persist was easier to overcome for citizens than for a stateless mass of American-born non-citizens. Thus, the American social and cultural conception of citizen eventually expanded to include blacks and the descendants of all immigrants."
"Former President Ronald Reagan recognized this. In a 1988 speech he stated that “An immigrant can live in France but not become a Frenchman; he can live in Germany but not become a German; he can live in Japan but not become Japanese, but anyone from any part of the world can come to America and become an American.” American-style citizenship encouraged the children of immigrants to assimilate, preventing the growth of a class of U.S.-born people who are not citizens."