Analyze why the addition of the Fourteenth Amendment was necessary.(1 point)
The addition of the Fourteenth Amendment was necessary for several reasons:
1. Protecting the rights of former slaves: After the American Civil War, millions of African Americans were freed from slavery. However, they still faced widespread discrimination and denial of basic rights. The Fourteenth Amendment provided constitutional protection for their civil and legal rights, ensuring equal protection under the law and due process.
2. Establishing birthright citizenship: The Fourteenth Amendment's Citizenship Clause guarantees that anyone born or naturalized in the United States is a citizen, regardless of their race or ethnicity. This was crucial in granting citizenship to formerly enslaved individuals and firmly establishing the principle of birthright citizenship.
3. Ending discrimination by the states: The Fourteenth Amendment contains the Equal Protection Clause, which prohibits states from denying any person within their jurisdiction equal protection of the laws. This clause was essential in curbing discriminatory practices and laws by state and local governments.
4. Overcoming the Dred Scott decision: The Fourteenth Amendment was enacted in response to the Supreme Court's infamous Dred Scott decision, which had declared that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, could not be citizens. The amendment overturned this ruling and ensured that all people born or naturalized in the United States are citizens.
5. Ensuring the federal government's authority over states: The Fourteenth Amendment shifted the balance of power between the federal government and the states. It empowered Congress to enforce the amendment's provisions through legislation and strengthened the reach of federal authority to protect the rights of citizens.
In summary, the addition of the Fourteenth Amendment was necessary to address the rights of former slaves, establish birthright citizenship, end state discrimination, overturn the Dred Scott decision, and strengthen the federal government's jurisdiction over the states.