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Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, stating that all men are created equal and that they are granted rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This applied to white male property owners and no one else. -
The Three-Fifths Compromise
While drafting the Constitution, it was debated how to "calculate" the number of slaves. The delegates came to the decision to count them as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott v. Sandford Supreme Court decision denied citizenship to African Americans. This worsened racial exclusion toward people of color. -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was the first civil rights law of the U.S. It stated that all persons born in the United States were citizens of the U.S. and the state in which they reside. This verified that citizenship by birth was not dependent on race and stated all citizens should have the same basic civil rights. -
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868, granting citizenship to all persons "born or naturalized in the United States." While this granted citizenship, it did not include many political rights, such as the right to vote, for people of color and women.