Under the 14th Amendment, African Americans could now legally claim the same constitutional rights afforded to all American citizens. The 14th Amendment was necessary to make clear that Black people, as well as anyone born in the country or naturalized, were American 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. Guiding Questions: - Why is the 14th Amendment significant? - What factors motivated the push for, and ratification of, the 14th Amendment? The Legislative Branch. Showing 45 Guides ; Nov 19, 2024 20345. 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Primary Documents in American History ; Nov 19, 2024 15744. (due process), and 14th Amendment rights of the African American victims. The Court unanimously rules that the suit was improper.