<P> The Fourteenth Amendment ( Amendment XIV ) to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9 , 1868 , as one of the Reconstruction Amendments . The amendment addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws and was proposed in response to issues related to former slaves following the American Civil War . The amendment was bitterly contested , particularly by the states of the defeated Confederacy , which were forced to ratify it in order to regain representation in Congress . </P>
<P> The Fourteenth Amendment ( Amendment XIV ) to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9 , 1868 , as one of the Reconstruction Amendments . The amendment addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws and was proposed in response to issues related to former slaves following the American Civil War . The amendment was bitterly contested , particularly by the states of the defeated Confederacy , which were forced to ratify it in order to regain representation in Congress . </P>
which group was granted citizenship as a result of the 14th amendment
which group was granted citizenship as a result of the 14th amendment
slaves
slaves