This PDF excerpt argues that the 14th Amendment created a new class of U.S. citizenship specifically for formerly enslaved people, distinct from the citizenship defined in the original Constitution. The author refutes several interpretations claiming broader application, asserting that the amendment’s purpose was not to fundamentally alter the meaning of citizenship for all Americans but to grant a limited set of civil rights to a specific group. This is supported by analyzing historical context, Supreme Court cases like Dred Scott, and relevant statutory law. The author contends that expansive readings of the 14th Amendment are misrepresentations of its original intent and have unintended consequences for the balance of federal and state power. Several counterarguments are addressed and dismissed as either factually inaccurate or based on misinterpretations of legal precedent.
