Although the thirteenth amendment was the one that ordered the end of slavery, the fourteenth is directed to the federal and state public instances, establishing with it the process to legitimize the citizenship of all Americans. Although this amendment can not be invoked for particular cases of invasion of rights of one person by another, it gives access to citizens to go to the state in defense of their rights. The amendment also had the power in its day to overturn all regional laws that might be contradictory.