QuestionDecember 29, 2025

What law did the 14^th amendment overturn in relation to Black citizenship?

What law did the 14^th amendment overturn in relation to Black citizenship?
What law did the 14^th amendment overturn in relation to Black
citizenship?

Solution
4.4(324 votes)

Answer

The 14^{th} Amendment overturned the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision. Explanation The 14^{th} Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1868, was a significant legal change that aimed to provide equal protection under the law to all citizens, particularly addressing issues of citizenship and rights for former slaves. One of the key aspects of the 14^{th} Amendment was its overturning of the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision of 1857. In this case, the Supreme Court had ruled that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, could not be American citizens and therefore had no standing to sue in federal court. The 14^{th} Amendment explicitly granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including former slaves, thereby nullifying the Dred Scott decision.

Explanation

The $14^{th}$ Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1868, was a significant legal change that aimed to provide equal protection under the law to all citizens, particularly addressing issues of citizenship and rights for former slaves. One of the key aspects of the $14^{th}$ Amendment was its overturning of the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision of 1857. In this case, the Supreme Court had ruled that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, could not be American citizens and therefore had no standing to sue in federal court. The $14^{th}$ Amendment explicitly granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including former slaves, thereby nullifying the Dred Scott decision.
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