Which amendment established citizenship rights for those born in the United States and guaranteed equal protection under the law?

• A. 13th Amendment
• B. 19th Amendment
• C. 14th Amendment
• D. 15th Amendment

Answer: (C)

The Fourteenth Amendment is the one that establishes citizenship rights for people born in the United States and guarantees equal protection under the law. Ratified in 1868 during Reconstruction, its Citizenship Clause grants birthright citizenship to all persons born in the U.S., regardless of race or prior status. Its Equal Protection Clause requires states to treat people equally under the law, which has been the basis for many civil rights challenges, including efforts to end segregation. The amendment also includes a Due Process Clause, protecting individuals from state actions that would deprive them of life, liberty, or property without fair procedure.

In contrast, the Thirteenth Amendment prohibits slavery, the Nineteenth Amendment grants women the right to vote, and the Fifteenth Amendment protects voting rights regardless of race. The description in the question—birthright citizenship and equal protection—fits the Fourteenth Amendment best.