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Understanding the Constitution: The 14th Amendment: Part I

Understanding the Constitution: The 14th Amendment: Part I
A copy of the U.S. Constitution during a House hearing on Dec. 17, 2019. Andrew Harnik/Pool/Getty Images
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Commentary

Past installments in the “Understanding the Constitution” series have focused mostly on the original, un-amended document. This two-part essay is a primer on the longest amendment ever adopted—the 14th. Some say it’s the most important amendment, because it empowered the federal government to protect people from state government abuse.

Rob Natelson
Rob Natelson
Author
Robert G. Natelson, a former constitutional law professor who is senior fellow in constitutional jurisprudence at the Independence Institute in Denver, authored “The Original Constitution: What It Actually Said and Meant” (3rd ed., 2015). He is a contributor to The Heritage Foundation’s “Heritage Guide to the Constitution.”
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