Which amendment granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States?

The Fourteenth Amendment is significant because it explicitly grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States. Ratified in 1868, this amendment was part of the Reconstruction Amendments, which aimed to establish civil rights for former slaves following the Civil War.

The first section of the Fourteenth 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." This provision fundamentally reinforced the principle of birthright citizenship, ensuring that anyone born on U.S. soil is automatically a U.S. citizen, regardless of the status of their parents.

This amendment also played a critical role in the ongoing civil rights struggles throughout American history, serving as a legal foundation for various landmark court cases that sought to expand civil rights protections. Its adoption was a pivotal moment in American history, affirming the importance of equal protection under the law and laying the groundwork for future legal challenges related to citizenship and civil rights.