(AURN News) — On this day in 1868, the 14th Amendment was officially ratified, adding new protections to the U.S. Constitution. The amendment was developed by Congress’s Joint Committee on Reconstruction, with Rep. John Bingham of Ohio serving as the principal author of its first section.
Congress passed the measure on June 13, 1866, and sent it to the states for approval. Ratification required support from three-fourths of the states, a process that took more than two years and faced resistance from former Confederate states.
The amendment granted citizenship to everyone born or naturalized in the United States, including formerly enslaved people. It barred states from denying any person due process or equal protection under the law. It also addressed representation, disqualified certain former officials who supported rebellion and authorized Congress to enforce its provisions.
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