The
Fourteenth Amendment (
Amendment XIV) to the
United States Constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868, as one of the
Reconstruction Amendments. The amendment addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws, and was proposed in response to issues related to former slaves following the
American Civil War. The amendment was bitterly contested, particularly by
Southern states, which were forced to ratify it in order for them to regain representation in Congress. The Fourteenth Amendment, particularly its first section, is one of the most litigated parts of the Constitution, forming the basis for landmark decisions such as
Roe v. Wade (1973) regarding abortion,
Bush v. Gore (2000) regarding the
2000 presidential election, and
Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) regarding same-sex marriage. The amendment limits the actions of all state and local officials, including those
acting on behalf of such an official.