Discuss Fourteenth Amendment (1865) as it relates to citizenship

The Fourteenth Amendment defines citizenship in the United States. It states that anyone born in the United States is a citizen and has the rights of a citizen. This clarification was important to insure freed slaves citizenship and subsequent rights, as stated in the Constitution. The 14th Amendment also states that once a person becomes a U.S. citizen, their citizenship cannot be taken away. The only exception to this guarantee is if that person lied in order to become a citizen.