Simone Lawson
The United States Constitution has been amended several times to extend voting rights to different groups of people. The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, gave African-American men the right to vote, although many states continued to use barriers such as literacy tests to prevent them from exercising this right. The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, gave women the right to vote. The 24th Amendment, ratified in 1964, eliminated poll taxes, which had been used to disenfranchise African Americans. Finally, the 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18 for all elections. These four amendments represent significant milestones in the expansion of voting rights in the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| 15th Amendment | Gave African American men the right to vote in 1870 |
| Extended voting rights to men of all races | |
| 19th Amendment | Gave American women the right to vote in 1920 |
| Prohibited the states from denying the vote on the basis of sex | |
| 24th Amendment | Eliminated poll taxes in 1964 |
| Sought to remove barriers to voting by prohibiting a poll tax | |
| 26th Amendment | Lowered the voting age for all elections to 18 in 1971 |
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What You'll Learn
- The 15th Amendment (1870) gave all men the right to vote
- The 19th Amendment (1920) gave women the right to vote
- The 24th Amendment (1964) removed poll taxes
- The 26th Amendment (1971) lowered the voting age to 18
- The Voting Rights Act (1965) prohibited voter discrimination based on race, colour or language
The 15th Amendment (1870) gave all men the right to vote
The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, passed in 1870, was a significant step towards racial equality in the United States, as it granted all men, regardless of race, the right to vote. This amendment was the culmination of a long struggle for African American men to gain full citizenship rights and marked a pivotal moment in the nation's history.
Prior to the Civil War, the eligibility requirements for voting often included property ownership, effectively excluding many African Americans and women from the voting process. Even after the Civil War, when the 13th and 14th Amendments abolished slavery and guaranteed citizenship to African Americans, respectively, the question of voting rights remained unresolved.
The 15th Amendment explicitly stated that the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of race, colour, or previous condition of servitude. This amendment ensured that African American men, regardless of their ethnicity or prior slave status, had the legal right to participate in elections.
However, it is important to note that while the 15th Amendment granted voting rights to men of all races, it did not immediately lead to full voting equality. Some states attempted to circumvent this amendment by imposing literacy tests and other barriers, making it difficult for African American men to exercise their newly acquired right to vote.
It wasn't until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that further measures were taken to enforce the 15th Amendment and abolish all remaining deterrents to voting, including the elimination of discriminatory practices and the implementation of federal supervision of voter registration where necessary. This act extended the protections of the 15th Amendment and ensured that all male citizens, regardless of race, could fully participate in the democratic process.
In conclusion, the 15th Amendment of 1870 was a pivotal moment in the expansion of voting rights in the United States, as it granted all men, regardless of race, the legal right to vote. While challenges and obstacles remained, this amendment laid the foundation for a more inclusive and equitable democracy, paving the way for further advancements in voting rights and civil rights for all Americans.
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The 19th Amendment (1920) gave women the right to vote
The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1920, was a significant milestone in the history of women's suffrage, guaranteeing American women the legal right to vote. This amendment was the culmination of a long and arduous struggle spanning decades, with women organizing, lecturing, writing, marching, lobbying, and even practicing civil disobedience to achieve what many considered a radical constitutional change.
The journey towards the 19th Amendment began in the mid-19th century when women's suffrage supporters first started advocating for their right to vote. Initially, the focus was on passing suffrage acts in individual states, and by 1912, nine western states had adopted woman suffrage legislation. However, it became evident that a federal constitutional amendment was necessary to secure voting rights for women comprehensively.
The National Woman Suffrage Association, formed in 1869, played a pivotal role in this regard, advocating for a federal constitutional amendment to guarantee women's voting rights. Despite facing fierce resistance and opposition, particularly in the South, the movement persisted. On June 4, 1919, Congress approved the 19th Amendment, but it still needed ratification by at least 36 states (three-fourths of state legislatures) to become part of the Constitution.
The ratification process was not without its challenges and setbacks. While some states, like Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan, quickly ratified the measure, others staunchly opposed it. By March 1920, 35 states had ratified the amendment, but it faced rejection from several Southern states. The deadlock was finally broken when Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment on August 18, 1920, thanks to the decisive vote of State Rep. Harry Burn, who heeded his mother's advice to "be a good boy" and support ratification.
The 19th Amendment's adoption marked a significant step forward for women's equality in the United States, proclaiming that the right of citizens to vote "shall not be denied or abridged...on account of sex." However, it is important to acknowledge that the amendment's impact was not immediate or universal. Millions of women of color, including Black, Native American, Asian American, and Latina women, continued to face barriers to voting due to systemic racism and discriminatory state voting laws. It would take several more decades and additional legislative efforts to fully include these women in the promise of voting rights enshrined in the 19th Amendment.
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The 24th Amendment (1964) removed poll taxes
The 24th Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified on January 23, 1964, eliminated poll taxes as a requirement for voting in federal elections. The official text of the amendment states:
> The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay poll tax or other tax. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
The 24th Amendment was a significant step towards ensuring equal voting rights for all citizens, as poll taxes had been used to restrict the voting rights of African Americans and poor whites in the United States. These taxes were introduced in the late 19th century by Southern states, particularly those that were formerly part of the Confederacy, as a way to limit the political power of African Americans without explicitly violating the Fifteenth Amendment, which prohibited restricting voting rights based on race. While the poll tax affected all voters, it disproportionately impacted African Americans and poor whites, who often could not afford to pay the tax.
The push for the elimination of poll taxes began during the Roosevelt Administration in the 1930s and 1940s and continued under President Harry S. Truman, who investigated the poll tax and other forms of voter restriction through his President's Committee on Civil Rights. Despite these early efforts, it wasn't until the administration of John F. Kennedy that the issue gained traction again. An amendment to repeal poll taxes was introduced by Congress in August 1962, and it was ratified by the required 38 states in January 1964.
The ratification of the 24th Amendment was a significant moment in the civil rights movement, as it removed a major barrier to voting for many Americans. It also set a precedent for further advancements in voting rights, such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibited voter discrimination based on race, colour, or membership in a language minority group.
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The 26th Amendment (1971) lowered the voting age to 18
The 26th Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified on July 1, 1971, lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 years for all Americans. The official text of the Amendment reads:
> "The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."
The push to lower the voting age began in the 1940s, with the first Congressional proposals endorsed by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. However, the movement gained renewed momentum in the 1960s and early 1970s due to increasing public opposition to the Vietnam War. With the draft age set at 18, many young men were conscripted to fight in a conflict they had no political voice in deciding. This led to the popular slogan "old enough to fight, old enough to vote". Additionally, the growing number of young Americans graduating high school, attending college, and engaging in political and social activism heightened national awareness of the process of amending the Constitution.
The 26th Amendment faced legal challenges, with questions arising regarding the representation of out-of-town college students at the polls and the applicability of the Amendment to other political institutions, such as jury duty. Despite these challenges, the Amendment stands as a significant milestone in expanding voting rights to younger Americans.
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The Voting Rights Act (1965) prohibited voter discrimination based on race, colour or language
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that played a crucial role in prohibiting voter discrimination based on race, colour, or language minority status. This act was signed into law on August 6, 1965, by President Lyndon Johnson, and served as a significant step towards ensuring equal voting rights for all citizens, regardless of their racial or linguistic background.
Prior to the enactment of the Voting Rights Act, African Americans, particularly in the South, faced significant obstacles to casting their votes. These barriers included poll taxes, literacy tests, and other bureaucratic restrictions specifically designed to deny them their rightful voting access. The act of 1965 outlawed these discriminatory voting practices, ensuring that all citizens, regardless of race, had an equal opportunity to participate in federal, state, and local elections.
Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a key provision that specifically addresses voter discrimination based on race, colour, or language minority status. It prohibits any jurisdiction from implementing voting qualifications, prerequisites, standards, practices, or procedures that result in the denial or abridgement of the right to vote on account of these factors. This section provides two critical protections against voter discrimination. Firstly, it prohibits intentional discrimination based on race or colour in voting. Secondly, it forbids election practices that result in the denial or abridgment of voting rights due to an individual's race or colour.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 also included Section 5, which required certain jurisdictions with a history of discriminatory voting practices to obtain "preclearance" from the federal government before implementing any new voting laws or procedures. This provision ensured that changes to voting procedures in these areas did not further discriminate against protected minorities. While Section 5 underwent amendments over the years, it played a vital role in upholding the act's overall goal of prohibiting voter discrimination.
The enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a direct response to the widespread voting discrimination faced by racial minorities, particularly African Americans. The murder of voting rights activists in Mississippi and the violent attack on peaceful marchers in Selma, Alabama, brought national attention to the urgency of securing equal voting rights. The combination of public outrage over these incidents and President Johnson's political efforts led to the successful passage of this transformative legislation.
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Frequently asked questions
The 15th Amendment, ratified on February 3, 1870, granted the right to vote to all male citizens of the United States regardless of their race, ethnicity, or previous status as slaves.
The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, prohibited states from denying citizens the right to vote based on their sex, effectively granting women the right to vote.
The 24th Amendment, ratified in 1964, eliminated poll taxes as a requirement for voting. Poll taxes had been used in some states to restrict the voting rights of African Americans and create financial barriers to voting.
