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The 14th amendment was made in light of the abolishment of slavery. During this time legislature were trying to expand African American rights and enforce laws against discrimination. It was made to clarify that “all persons born or naturalized within the United States are citizens.” It also prohibited any state from “making or enforcing any law that abridged the privileges or immunities of citizens.” To protect African Americans the government first had to establish that they were in fact citizens. This overturned the Dred Scott Decision of 1857 which said African Americans were not citizens, but property. The 14th Amendment also established something called equal protection. In other words this amendment made all rights and principles listed in the constitution applicable to all people who met the qualification of a “person”. This was a big