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…
Overview
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.
Grade Levels
- 6-8
- 9-12
Learning Objectives
- Identify the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment
- Describe a reason the 14th Amendment was created
- Describe the rationale behind the Supreme Court’s decision
- Demonstrate an understanding of key vocabulary in the Citizenship Clause
- Identify two ways a person can become a citizen of the United States according to the 14th Amendment