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Lesson Plan

The 14th Amendment defined natural born citizenship for the nation. Over a century later, the clause is still making news. This mini-lesson examines the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause, explains why it was created, and introduces students to questions raised in political debate around birthright citizenship.

How to use this lesson: Use this lesson by itself or pair it with more iCivics resources, like the Supreme Court cases Elk v. Wilkins (1884) or our lesson Citizenship: Just the Facts. For more suggestions, see the downloadable teacher resources below.

Teacher Resources

Get access to lesson plans, teacher guides, student handouts, and other teaching materials.

Birthright Citizenship Lesson Plan - The Citizenship Clause - What is the Citizenship Clause?
Birthright Citizenship Lesson Plan - The Citizenship Clause - Citizenship Clause Activities

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