14th Amendment Adopted

On this date in 1868, the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was formally adopted after certification by Secretary of State William Seward. It reads, in part: “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” The amendment, as gradually applied by the Supreme Court, has incorporated the Bill of Rights and constitutional rights, including the right to be free from state-fostered religion, to all citizens.