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Before 1857
Citizenship was dependent on state regulations. This was a problem for those born in territories or in DC. -
Dred Scott Vs. Sandford
Scott was a slave that sued his former master because his master moved them to a free territory. Since he was now in a free territory he should also be free. Chief Justice Taney came to the verdict of Scott was not a citizen so he could not be set free. -
Lincoln becomes President
The Republican party strongly opposed the dred Scott verdict. When Lincoln became president he ignored Taney and said free blacks are American citizens. -
Black Codes
After the civil war former Confederate States passed laws known as Black codes to restrict former slaves rights. -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
To get rid of the Black codes Congress passed the "civil Rights act of 1866 which declared that all persons born or naturalized in the United States first citizens of the United States and the state in which they lived there by affirming a rule of citizenship by birth that did not depend on race (Amar and Harrison, The Citizenship Clause)."