What does the 14th Amendment guarantee to all persons born in the U.S.?

The correct response highlights that the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees citizenship and equal protection of the laws to all persons born in the U.S. This amendment was ratified in 1868 in the aftermath of the Civil War, primarily aimed at ensuring that newly freed slaves received the same rights and protections as other citizens.

The first clause of the 14th Amendment establishes birthright citizenship, meaning anyone born in the U.S. automatically qualifies as a citizen. This principle was crucial in defining national citizenship and overriding state laws that might deny citizenship to individuals based on race or previous status as enslaved people.

The second part of the amendment asserts that no state can deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws, which has been foundational in the development of civil rights law. This clause has been pivotal in various Supreme Court cases that addressed issues of equality and civil rights for marginalized groups.

Other options do not represent guarantees provided by the 14th Amendment. The right to vote, for example, is addressed in later amendments but is not directly stated in the 14th. Freedom of speech and assembly is primarily protected under the First Amendment. Protection from unlawful detention relates more closely to legal rights under the Fifth and Sixth Amend