Edward Bates

United StatespoliticianMaleb. 17937.0Global Dominance: 0.01%

Edward Bates was a prominent American lawyer and politician who served as the Attorney General of the United States under President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. He is best known for his 1862 opinion that asserted the principle of birthright citizenship, declaring that every person born in the United States is a citizen at birth, regardless of race or color. Bates's views played a crucial role in shaping post-Civil War legislation, including the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which sought to ensure citizenship rights for all individuals born in the U.S.