Malcolm Rivera
The Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified on August 18, 1920, prohibits the federal government and each state from restricting the right to vote based on sex. This amendment was a victory for the women's suffrage movement and a step towards extending the Constitution's promises of natural-born civil liberties for all Americans. Before this, voting rights were determined by individual states, with most limiting suffrage to white male citizens. The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, extended voting rights to all male citizens regardless of their race or prior slave status, but it did not address sex discrimination in voter laws.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Amendment Number | 19 |
| Ratification Date | August 18, 1920 |
| Prohibits | Restriction of voting rights based on sex |
| Extends Voting Rights To | Women |
| Official Text | The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. |
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What You'll Learn
The Fifteenth Amendment (1870)
The Fifteenth Amendment (Amendment XV) to the United States Constitution was ratified on February 3, 1870. It prohibits the federal government and each state from denying or abridging a male citizen's right to vote "on account of race, colour, or previous condition of servitude". The official text of the amendment is as follows:
> The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, colour, or previous condition of servitude. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
The Fifteenth Amendment was the third and last of the Reconstruction Amendments, which were passed after the American Civil War. In the final years of the war and the Reconstruction Era that followed, Congress debated the rights of millions of black freedmen. Amendments had been passed to abolish slavery and provide citizenship and equal protection under the laws, but the election of Ulysses S. Grant to the presidency in 1868 convinced Republicans that protecting the franchise of black male voters was important for the party's future.
On February 26, 1869, Republicans proposed a compromise amendment that would ban franchise restrictions on the basis of race, colour, or previous condition of servitude. The Fifteenth Amendment was passed by Congress on this date and ratified on February 3, 1870, with Georgia, Iowa, Nebraska, and Texas being the final states to ratify the amendment.
The Fifteenth Amendment was a remarkable accomplishment, given that slavery was such a dominant institution before the Civil War. However, the history of the amendment also shows that rights can never be taken for granted. While the Fifteenth Amendment granted voting rights to African American men, it would be another half-century before women gained the right to vote with the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.
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Universal male suffrage
Historically, the right to vote was often restricted to those with property and wealth, which usually meant only a minority of the male population. The expansion of universal male suffrage has been a gradual process, with various countries enacting it at different times. For example, Revolutionary France adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789, and the National Convention was elected by all men in 1792, although this was short-lived. France re-established universal male suffrage in the wake of the 1848 Revolution. The Australian colonies of South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales also enacted universal male suffrage in the mid-19th century.
In the United States, the Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, extended the right to vote to all men regardless of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude". However, it should be noted that in practice, many African American men were still denied the right to vote for another century.
As women gained the right to vote in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the goal of universal male suffrage was replaced by the broader concept of universal suffrage, which includes both men and women.
Today, the concept of universal suffrage continues to evolve, with ongoing efforts to include more groups and ensure that voting rights are protected for all.
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Race and sex in state constitutions
The 15th Amendment to the US Constitution, passed in 1870, gave African American men the right to vote, regardless of "race, colour, or previous condition of servitude". However, this right was not always upheld, as some states employed literacy tests and other barriers to prevent African Americans from voting. It was only with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that nationwide protections against racial discrimination in voting were fully realised.
The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, extended the right to vote to women, prohibiting the government from restricting voting rights based on sex. Despite this, women, especially those of colour, continued to face barriers to voting, such as poll taxes and literacy tests.
State constitutions also play a role in protecting voting rights and offering equal protection under the law. For example, Alaska's constitution (1972) states that no person shall be denied any civil or political right based on "race, colour, creed, sex, or national origin". Similarly, Connecticut's constitution (1974) guarantees equal protection under the law and prohibits discrimination in the enjoyment of civil or political rights based on "religion, race, colour, ancestry, national origin, sex, or physical or mental disability".
Some states have also included protections against sex discrimination in their constitutions, such as Colorado (1973), Hawaii (1978), and Illinois (1970). These provisions ensure that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged based on sex.
State high courts have also recognised stronger protections against sex discrimination in their constitutions than those guaranteed under federal law. For example, in Nevada, the state ERA passed in 2022, protecting against discrimination based on "race, colour, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression".
In summary, while the 15th and 19th Amendments to the US Constitution extended voting rights to all citizens regardless of race and sex, state constitutions and courts have played a significant role in further protecting and expanding these rights, ensuring equality for all Americans.
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Voting rights as a national freedom
Voting rights are a fundamental aspect of any democratic nation, and they have been a hard-won freedom in the history of the United States. The right to vote in the US has been a contested issue since the nation's founding, with the original Constitution leaving it to individual states to determine voter eligibility. Over time, various constitutional amendments and federal laws have been enacted to protect and expand voting rights, ensuring that all citizens have an equal opportunity to participate in elections.
One of the earliest federal protections against discrimination in voting was the Civil Rights Act of 1870, which was later strengthened by the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This prohibited voter discrimination based on race, colour, or membership in a language minority group, and required certain places to provide election materials in languages other than English. The 1965 Act also placed limits on states with a history of voter discrimination, requiring them to obtain federal approval before enacting new voter restrictions.
However, the fight for voting rights as a national freedom began even earlier, with the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment in 1870. This amendment prohibits the federal government and each state from denying or abridging a citizen's right to vote based on "race, colour, or previous condition of servitude." It marked a significant step towards racial equality in voting rights, ensuring that all male citizens, regardless of their ethnicity or prior slave status, had the right to vote.
Despite this progress, women were still excluded from the franchise. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the women's suffrage movement gained momentum, with advocates arguing that women should have the same right to vote as their male counterparts. Their efforts culminated in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, which prohibits the government from restricting the right to vote based on sex. This amendment finally extended the franchise to women, marking a pivotal moment in the expansion of voting rights as a national freedom.
Since then, other amendments and laws have further strengthened voting rights. The Twenty-fourth Amendment, ratified in 1964, eliminated poll taxes, which had been used to disenfranchise African Americans and poor whites in some states. The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984 ensured that polling places were accessible to people with disabilities. Additionally, the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 created new and easier ways to register to vote, and the Help America Vote Act of 2002 authorized federal funding for elections and established the US Election Assistance Commission to assist states in improving voter education, registration, and ballot standards.
In conclusion, voting rights have been a critical aspect of national freedom in the United States, with a long history of legislative efforts to protect and expand them. These rights continue to be safeguarded and enhanced through constitutional amendments, federal laws, and the ongoing work of dedicated organizations and individuals.
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The women's suffrage movement
In the 1850s, the women's rights movement gained momentum, but it lost steam when the Civil War began. After the war, the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, extended constitutional protections to all citizens, but it defined "citizens" as "male". The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, guaranteed the right to vote for Black men, but women were excluded. This caused a "'schism'" in the women's suffrage movement, as some refused to support the 15th Amendment, while others saw it as an opportunity to push for universal suffrage.
The National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) was formed in 1869 by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony to advocate for voting rights for women. The NWSA employed various strategies, including sending petitions to Congress and conducting protests and demonstrations. During World War I, suffragists attempted to pressure President Woodrow Wilson, who opposed suffrage at the national level, into supporting a federal woman suffrage amendment. These tactics often resulted in hostility, violence, and arrests.
In the early 20th century, suffragists staged large and dramatic parades to draw attention to their cause. One notable demonstration was the march in Washington, DC, on March 3, 1913, which included over 5,000 suffragists. The National Woman's Party, formed by Alice Paul, employed more militant tactics, organizing the first White House picket in US history on January 10, 1917. The "Silent Sentinels" stood vigil at the White House for nearly three years, enduring arrests, jail time, and forced feedings during hunger strikes.
Finally, on August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, granting all American women the right to vote and declaring that they, like men, deserve all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. This amendment prohibited all levels of government in the US from restricting the right to vote based on sex. The women's suffrage movement was a hard-fought campaign that faced many challenges but ultimately succeeded in securing voting rights for women and ensuring their equal status as citizens.
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Frequently asked questions
The Nineteenth Amendment, ratified on August 18, 1920, prohibits the government from restricting the right to vote based on sex.
The text of the amendment is as follows: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."
Yes, before and during the Civil War, the women's suffrage movement collaborated with the abolitionist movement. Activists like Susan B. Anthony and Virginia Minor argued that the Fourteenth Amendment extended the right to vote to women, but the Supreme Court ruled otherwise in Minor v. Happersett.
The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified on February 3, 1870, prohibits voter discrimination based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." While it granted voting rights to men of all races, it did not address sex discrimination in voter laws.
Despite the Fifteenth Amendment, discriminatory practices like poll taxes, literacy tests, and violence from the Ku Klux Klan prevented many African Americans, particularly in the South, from exercising their right to vote. "Jim Crow" laws enacted by the Democratic Party further raised barriers to voter registration, disenfranchising black voters and poor whites.
