State Historical Society of Iowa

Joint Resolution Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, June 16, 1866

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, "A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875," pp. 358–359, 16 June 1866

Description 

On June 16, 1866, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives proposed to the state legislatures what would become the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. After its ratification by the required three-fourths of the states, the amendment was officially certified on July 28, 1868, by Secretary of State William H. Seward. 

Full Transcript of Congress' Joint Resolution

Transcribed Excerpt from the Joint Resolution 

Source-Dependent Questions

  • How did the 14th Amendment define citizenship?
  • Which level of government did the 14th Amendment specifically target?
  • What rights did Sections 1 and 2 of the 14th Amendment guarantee for former slaves and other American citizens of all races?

Citation Information 

"A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875," pp. 358–359, 16 June 1866. Courtesy of Library of Congress