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Citizenship Clause

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.

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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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