The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including formerly enslaved individuals.

This amendment was a pivotal part of Reconstruction, aiming to secure the civil rights of African Americans following the Civil War. It established the principle of birthright citizenship and ensured that states could not deny any person equal protection under the law. The 14th Amendment has since been the basis for many landmark Supreme Court decisions, influencing civil rights, voting rights, and equality in the U.S. legal system.