The Fourteenth Amendment was included in the U.S Constitution to ensure and protect the rights of former slaves after the Civil War. It granted citizenship to all individuals born or naturalized in the United States and prohibited states from denying any person "life, liberty, or property, without due process of law" or denying any person "equal protection of the laws." It aimed to secure the civil rights of African Americans and provide them with the same legal protections and opportunities as white citizens.
