The Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified on July 9, 1868, defined citizenship and guaranteed the rights of citizens. Ratified in 1868, Congress and the courts have applied the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause to many aspects of public life over the past 150 years.Section one of the amendment, shown here, defines American citizens as "all persons born or naturalized in the United States. The fourth section was held, in Perry v. As a result, Congress has used this clause to ensure all Americans enjoy the rights outlined in the Fourteenth Amendment. (e) Motions to Strike. 14. Pay Plan. 15. Series. 16. Grade. 17. Step. Virginia was the 38th state to ratify the ERA since Congress proposed it in 1972, technically pushing the ERA across that threshold. The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment precludes Virginia from providing exclusively to men the unique educational opportunities VMI affords.