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Addition of the 15th Amendment
Following the ratification of the amendment, African Americans were allowed to participate in voting in the U.S. The amendment was drafted following the abolishment of slavery. However, states found workarounds to further prevent African-American influence with the introduction of literacy tests, poll taxes, and the Grandfather clause. National Archives -
Impact of Alice Paul
While in Washington, DC, Alice Paul organized an 8,000 women march that would gain large amounts of publicity. The women walked down to the white house while 500,000 people watched the women get harassed for what they were fighting for. Due to the large amounts of people who witnessed what was going on, many opinions were changed and more women were inspired to take part in women's suffrage. [National Women's History Museum](www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/alice-paul) -
Addition of the 19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment outlawed the ability to prevent women from voting. In order to have the amendment passed, women often participated in protests and created certain groups that united women so their voices could be heard. The amendment was not taken to the national government immediately, but rather taken to the states and over time, more and more states gave women the right to vote until it was made a national amendment.
[National Archives](www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/19th-amendment) -
Indian Citizenship Act of 1924
The Indian Citizenship Act gave all Native Americans who were born within U.S. territory the ability to partake in voting. However, many states resisted giving Native Americans the ability to vote until the year of 1957 as they actually had the final say in whether or not Native Americans could vote or not.
[Library of Congress](www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/june-02/) -
The Addition of the 24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment allowed for the elimination of poll taxes. Poll taxes required people to pay a fee before being able to vote, however many former slaves and African Americans didn't have a lot of money at the time so they would struggle to pay the fee. The main goal of the 24th Amendment was to prevent further workarounds of the 15th Amendment. [Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum](www.reaganlibrary.gov/constitutional-amendments-amendment-24-elimination-poll-taxes) -
Freedom Summer
The purpose of Freedom Summer was to start a revolt in Mississippi by using white Northerners and having them register more African Americans to vote and show how many whites would be arrested for doing so. While 17,000 black residents in Mississippi attempted to vote, only about 10% were actually able to register. Stanford University -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 helped to solidify the 15th Amendment by outlawing the use of literacy tests. Literacy tests were used to prevent African Americans from voting as they were slaves and uneducated so the tests were very difficult for them. The act also created Federal Examiners. who made sure states that used to discriminate in the past did not prevent anyone from being able to vote.
National Archives -
Addition of the 26th Amendment
The ratification of the 26th Amendment occurred in July of 1971 and made the national required age to vote 18. During WW2, the president at the time changed the draft age from 21 to 18, so in response those who were below 21 and being drafted felt they should have a say in the government if they might have to fight in order to protect it. [Richard Nixon Presidential Library And Museum](www.nixonlibrary.gov/news/26th-amendment) -
Impact of Jennings Randolph
On the data of July 1st, 1971, the 26th Amendment was passed. Senator Randolph was well known for his influence in promoting the lowering of the legal voting age from 21 to 18. Once he became a senator in the House of Representatives, he had a greater influence and helped to promote his newfound belief, and on his 12th attempt at creating the 26th Amendment, his goal became a reality.
[West Virginia Archives and History](archive.wvculture.org/history/exhibitsonline/randolph/jrnewdealerch5.html) -
Motor Voter Law
The Motor Voter Law, also called The National Voter Registration Act, was created in order to make both getting registered and maintaining registration for voting much easier. The law achieves such a feat by providing registration when people get their driver's license, at public assistance offices, allowing people to register for voting by mail. [Civil Rights Division U.S. Department of Justice](www.justice.gov/crt/about-national-voter-registration-act)