Bri t is h Subjec t s in t he Thi r teen C o l o nies

Declaration of Inde pendance Time of Adoption

British Subject American Citizen Case 1

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Natural Bor n Case 2

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N at ive B o r n Case 3

A Subject of the King of

A Citizen of the United States
England

N o pe r s o n e x c e p t a n a t u r a l b o r n c i t i z e n , o r a c i t i z e n o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s, a t t h e t i m e o f t h e a d o p t i o n o f t h i s
C o n s t i t u t i o n , s h a l l be e l i g i b l e t o t h e o f f i c e o f P r e s i d e n t ; n e i t h e r s h a l l a n y pe r s o n be e l i g i b l e t o t h a t o f f i c e w h o
s h a l l n o t h a v e a t t a i n e d t o t h e a g e o f t h i r t y - f i v e ye a r s, a n d be e n f o u r t e e n Yea r s a r e s i d e n t w i t h i n t h e U n i t e d
S t a t e s. - A r t i c l e I I, Se c t i o n 1, C l a u s e 5, C o n s t i t u t i o n o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

Case 1
A British Subject in and Citizen of one of the Thirteen Colonies becomes, at the signing of the Declaration of Independance, an
American Citizen. At the Time of Adoption this American Citizen is eligible to the Office of President provided:
• they are at least thirty-five years old
• have been fourteen years a resident within the United States

Case 2
A British Subject in and Citizen of one of the Thirteen Colonies has a child after the Declaration of Independance. The parents
became, at the signing of the Declaration of independence, American Citizens. The child, born from American Citizen parents, is a
natural born Citizen. This natural born American Citizen is eligible to the Office of President provided:
• they are at least thirty-five years old
• have been fourteen years a resident within the United States

Case 3
A British Subject in and Citizen of one of the Thirteen Colonies has a child prior to the Declaration of Independance. This child is a
British Subject and a native born Citizen of the Colony. At the signing of the Declaration of Independance this British Subject
becomes an American Citizen. At the Time of Adoption this American Citizen is eligible to the Office of President provided:
• they are at least thirty-five years old
• have been fourteen years a resident within the United States

Comments
• Cases 1 and 3 require naturalization. Only in Case 2 is there no naturalization.
• British Subjects became American Citizens at the signing of the Declartion of independence, as Madison discussed regarding
Mr. Smith of South Carolina, 1789
• Read more at NativeVersusNatural.wordpress.com