Which amendment grants citizenship to all persons born in the United States?

• A. Amendment 12
• B. Amendment 13
• C. Amendment 14
• D. Amendment 15

Answer: (C)

Birthright citizenship is defined by the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. It states that all persons born in the United States, and subject to its jurisdiction, are citizens of the United States. This provision was added after the Civil War to ensure that people born here are automatically citizens, including former enslaved individuals and their descendants. It also covers those who become citizens through naturalization, and it is reinforced by due process and equal protection guarantees.

The other amendments noted address different issues rather than birthplace citizenship: one sets the framework for electing the president and vice president, another prohibits slavery, and another extends voting rights regardless of race. None establish birthright citizenship in the way the Fourteenth Amendment does, so this amendment is the correct one for granting citizenship to all persons born in the United States.