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When the Constitution was published in 1787 there was no clear rule on what being a United States citizen meant. Writing for an article titled "The Citizenship Clause" Akhil Reed Amar and John C. Harrison explain "Nowhere, however, does the original Constitution lay down a clear and comprehensive rule about either kind of citizenship." -
On March 6th, 1857 the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Dred Scott that no enslaved persons were considered citizens. Therefore, they had no protection under the federal government. -
On April 6th, 1866 the Civil Rights Act was passed stating declaring that every person born in America was a citizen. Including those of any race, color, or previous condition of slavery or servitude. This act ultimately invalidated the decision of the Dred Scott case ten years previous. -
On July 9th, 1868 the 14th Amendment was ratified. The 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." (1.2 Citizenship Clause Doctrine. Fourteenth Amendment, Section 1) -
The 15th Amendment was ratified on February 3rd, 1870, and gave black men the right to vote. -
On August 18th, 1920 the 19th Amendment was ratified. The amendment granted women the right to vote after over 100 years of women's suffrage. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2nd, 1964. This act forbade discrimination based on race, religion, sex or national origin. -
On September 20th, 2011 the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" bill, which forbid gay, lesbian and transgender individual to join military service was repealed. -
On June 26th, 2015 marriage equality was legalized throughout the entire US. This Supreme Court decision granted full acknowledgment of same-sex marriages in every state.