14th Amendment
Citizenship Rights, Equal Protection, Apportionment, Civil War Debt
The 14th Amendment wrote the Declaration of Independence’s promise of freedom and equality into the Constitution. In early 1866, the Joint Committee on Reconstruction submitted a number of proposals to the rest of Congress, each addressing a specific problem. The proposals were then bundled into a single amendment. Finally, Congress added the Citizenship Clause. It was passed by Congress on June 13, 1866, and ratified on July 9, 1868.
Special thanks to Kurt Lash from the University of Richmond School of Law for sharing his research and expertise. Kurt Lash, The Reconstruction Amendments: Essential Documents (University of Chicago Press, 2019).
Read the full textThe Drafting Process
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Select a provision to learn more about how it was drafted into existence
1833
Event
February 16
1833
Court cases address rights
1857
Event
March 6
1857
Dred Scott decision
1865
Event
April 15
1865
Lincoln dies and Johnson becomes president
1865
1865
1865
Event
December 13
1865
Congress forms Joint Committee on Reconstruction
1866
-
Draft — January 12, 1866
Rep. Stevens proposes racial equality
1866
-
Draft — January 12, 1866
Rep. Bingham proposes equal protection
1866
-
Draft — January 22, 1866
House considers proposal on representation
1866
-
Draft — January 27, 1866
Rep. Bingham looks to protect rights
1866
-
Draft — February 3, 1866
Rep. Bingham suggests further revisions
1866
Ratification
February 28
1866
The House debates Bingham's proposal
-
1866
The House debates Bingham's proposal
-
1866
Joint Committee sends proposal to Congress
-
1866
House debates the amendment
-
1866
House passes amendment
-
1866
Howard introduces Amendment in Senate
-
1866
Senate passes revised amendment
-
1866
Congress passes the 14th Amendment
-
1868
14th Amendment is ratified
Result
Proposed in Congress
1866
Event
April 9
1866
Congress passes Civil Rights Act of 1866
1866
-
Draft — April 21, 1866
Joint Committee proposes bundled amendment
1866
Ratification
April 28
1866
Joint Committee sends proposal to Congress
-
1866
The House debates Bingham's proposal
-
1866
Joint Committee sends proposal to Congress
-
1866
House debates the amendment
-
1866
House passes amendment
-
1866
Howard introduces Amendment in Senate
-
1866
Senate passes revised amendment
-
1866
Congress passes the 14th Amendment
-
1868
14th Amendment is ratified
Result
Proposed in Congress
1866
-
Draft — April 28, 1866
Rep. Bingham proposes a revised Section One
1866
Ratification
April 30
1866
House debates the amendment
-
1866
The House debates Bingham's proposal
-
1866
Joint Committee sends proposal to Congress
-
1866
House debates the amendment
-
1866
House passes amendment
-
1866
Howard introduces Amendment in Senate
-
1866
Senate passes revised amendment
-
1866
Congress passes the 14th Amendment
-
1868
14th Amendment is ratified
Result
Proposed in House
1866
Ratification
May 10
1866
House passes amendment
-
1866
The House debates Bingham's proposal
-
1866
Joint Committee sends proposal to Congress
-
1866
House debates the amendment
-
1866
House passes amendment
-
1866
Howard introduces Amendment in Senate
-
1866
Senate passes revised amendment
-
1866
Congress passes the 14th Amendment
-
1868
14th Amendment is ratified
Result
Passed by House
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1866
-
Draft — May 10, 1866
Joint Committee's resolution considered in House
1866
Ratification
May 23
1866
Howard introduces Amendment in Senate
-
1866
The House debates Bingham's proposal
-
1866
Joint Committee sends proposal to Congress
-
1866
House debates the amendment
-
1866
House passes amendment
-
1866
Howard introduces Amendment in Senate
-
1866
Senate passes revised amendment
-
1866
Congress passes the 14th Amendment
-
1868
14th Amendment is ratified
Result
Proposed in Senate
1866
-
Draft — May 29, 1866
Sen. Howard proposes a citizenship clause
1866
Ratification
June 8
1866
Senate passes revised amendment
-
1866
The House debates Bingham's proposal
-
1866
Joint Committee sends proposal to Congress
-
1866
House debates the amendment
-
1866
House passes amendment
-
1866
Howard introduces Amendment in Senate
-
1866
Senate passes revised amendment
-
1866
Congress passes the 14th Amendment
-
1868
14th Amendment is ratified
Result
Passed by Senate
1866
Ratification
June 13
1866
Congress passes the 14th Amendment
-
1866
The House debates Bingham's proposal
-
1866
Joint Committee sends proposal to Congress
-
1866
House debates the amendment
-
1866
House passes amendment
-
1866
Howard introduces Amendment in Senate
-
1866
Senate passes revised amendment
-
1866
Congress passes the 14th Amendment
-
1868
14th Amendment is ratified
Result
Passed by Congress, sent to states for ratification
1866
-
Draft — June 13, 1866
14th Amendment Final Text
1866
Event
November 5
1866
Election of 1866
1867
Event
March 2
1867
Reconstruction Acts enacted
1868
Event
February 24
1868
House impeaches Johnson
Final
Ratification
July 9
1868
14th Amendment is ratified
-
1866
The House debates Bingham's proposal
-
1866
Joint Committee sends proposal to Congress
-
1866
House debates the amendment
-
1866
House passes amendment
-
1866
Howard introduces Amendment in Senate
-
1866
Senate passes revised amendment
-
1866
Congress passes the 14th Amendment
-
1868
14th Amendment is ratified
Result
Ratified by three-fourths of the states
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14th Amendment Final Text
The 14th Amendment set new constitutional baselines for post-Civil War America—granting additional powers to Congress and providing protections for citizenship, rights, and equality. This is the final version of the text, as last amended by the Senate. In 1866, after the Senate passed the amendment (33-11), the House passed it (120-32). It was then sent to the states for ratification and was officially adopted in 1868.
The 39th Congress met as the Civil War ended and Andrew Johnson became president. They oversaw the beginning of Reconstruction and clashed with Johnson.
- June 13, 1866
- 39th Congress
- Final Amendment
Section One
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.
No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States;
nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;
nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Section Two
Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.
Section Three
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Section Four
The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.
Section Five
The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
Select a document
14th Amendment Final Text
The 14th Amendment set new constitutional baselines for post-Civil War America—granting additional powers to Congress and providing protections for citizenship, rights, and equality. This is the final version of the text, as last amended by the Senate. In 1866, after the Senate passed the amendment (33-11), the House passed it (120-32). It was then sent to the states for ratification and was officially adopted in 1868.
The 39th Congress met as the Civil War ended and Andrew Johnson became president. They oversaw the beginning of Reconstruction and clashed with Johnson.
- June 13, 1866
- 39th Congress
- Final Amendment
Section One
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.
No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States;
nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;
nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Section Two
Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.
Section Three
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Section Four
The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.
Section Five
The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
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14th Amendment Final Text
The 14th Amendment set new constitutional baselines for post-Civil War America—granting additional powers to Congress and providing protections for citizenship, rights, and equality. This is the final version of the text, as last amended by the Senate. In 1866, after the Senate passed the amendment (33-11), the House passed it (120-32). It was then sent to the states for ratification and was officially adopted in 1868.
The 39th Congress met as the Civil War ended and Andrew Johnson became president. They oversaw the beginning of Reconstruction and clashed with Johnson.
Select a document
Select a document to learn more about how it changed over time
Select a provision to learn more what’s changed
- June 13, 1866
- 39th Congress
- Final Amendment
Section One
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.
No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States;
nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;
nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Section Two
Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.
Section Three
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Section Four
The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.
Section Five
The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
