Where Does the Term “Natural Born Citizen” Come From?
The earliest known reference to the term “natural-born citizen” comes from John Jay, the man who would become the nation’s first chief justice. When he was secretary of foreign affairs in 1787, he wrote a letter to George Washington, who presided over the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. In this letter, Jay suggested that “the Commander in Chief of the American army shall not be given to nor devolve on, any but a natural born Citizen.” Jay believed that a foreign-born president was too risky for the nation. Jay’s proposal became a qualification for anyone considering a run for the presidency. The Constitutional Convention did not debate the subject. Some did propose a stricter requirement, which would have meant that the president, vice president, senators, and representatives all would have to be natural-born citizens. The Constitution was ratified without that strict language. One exception does allow naturalized citizens to be president, but the exception excludes anyone l
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