 On July 9th, 1868, a very significant day in our nation's country, the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. And what did this do? This granted citizenship and equal protection under the laws to anyone born or naturalized in the United States, including formerly enslaved people. Also on this date, 1850, President Zachary Taylor. He had a bad day. It was not a good day for President Taylor. He died of gastrointestinal illness.