are you suggesting they were not citizens of the united states before
1861?

Lincoln did not change anything by himself.  If you are referrring to
the 14th Amendment, as defining citizenship, that was hardly Lincoln;
sadly, he was dead by then.

Paul Finkelman

[log in to unmask] wrote:
> An Americans were subject to themselves - citizens made up the US not the
> Federal govt.  The Constitution gave the people, not the Fed rights.  Lincoln
> changed all that.
>
>
>
>
>>   Colonial Americans were subjects of the King, and that is partially why
>>they
>>revolted.  To put it another way, it is perhaps always legitimate to revolt
>>when
>>you are denied representation in the government.  It is never legitimate to
>>revolt against a democratic government as long as the government is
>>functioning,
>>the means are in place for political change, free speech and freedom of the
>>press
>>are available, and you are not being singled out for oppression.
>
>
>
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--
Paul Finkelman
Chapman Distinguished Professor
University of Tulsa College of Law
3120 East 4th Place
Tulsa, Oklahoma  74104-2499

918-631-3706 (office)
918-631-2194 (fax)

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