History of Voting in the United States

By 12098106

  • 1776 North Carolina Constitution

    The Constitutions stated that the power came from the people with more power to the General Assembly. The Constitution lead to our Independence. This helped spread democracy because of the formed government. A democracy is when the power comes from the people. This also gave right that have been accused of crimes. This also set up separation of powers.( white me who owned property could only vote)

  • Seneca Falls Convention

    This was the first women's rights convention that was lead by Elizabeth Stanton who wrote a document that men and women should be equal. The was inspired by the Declaration of Independence while writing. This didn't allow them to vote, but was a leading event. It helped spread democracy and ideas. This lead to women and men being equal. This was important because if not for this we might not have continued to fight for equality and the right to vote.

  • Passage of the 15th Amendment

    This amendment tells voters that they can not be denied for their race. This is because of the African Americans after slavery that were citizens and wanted the right to vote. This is significant because it allowed the African Americans to vote, which grew our democracy. The democracy got even stronger barbecue there was more people, bigger impact. This was during the time of reconstruction, which helped. After this amendment the idea of literacy tests to vote came about, which is still today.

  • Jim Crow Laws

    These made it very hard for African Americans to vote. This happened because their were many racist people. This is important to the Americans now, to learn from their mistakes. This really effects democracy in the fact it really didn't help it. If anything Jim Crow laws decreased the thriving goal with democracy. Since the African Americans couldn't really vote then the Democracy wasn't as strong as it could have been.

  • Passage of the 17th Amendment

    This amendment allowed senators to be elected by voters. The disagreement between both houses that lead to Senators seats being empty was the cause. This shows that the government gets its power from the people. This also helps democracy spread. This seats in the Senate will always be full. This also gave the people the right to choose who they wanted to be in the Senate.

  • Passage of the 19th Amendment

    This Amendment is basically saying that you can not be discriminated on your sex for voting rights. The women suffrage lead to this Amendment because they were unable to vote because they were women. This event is significant because it allowed women to vote, so they could have a better say in government. This is a basic lead to a stronger and better democracy. This is important because it allows equality in voting. This leads to a more equal say in representation in the government.

  • Indian Citizenship Act

    This act gave citizenship to the Indians that were born in the territorial limits of the U.S.. The right to vote was dined until the early twentieth century. This was the Reconstruction result, when people thought they should extend citizenship. This helps spread democracy and make it stronger because it will be bigger. As more people join the democracy and become citizens they get involved. This act is just fair because they were here before us.

  • Passage of the 23rd Amendment

    This amendment let the citizens in Washington D.C. vote. This allowed them to only really vote in national elections only. This is important because more people could vote. This also helped democracy spread since more people could vote and get involved. This is also important because they were taxed without any representation, in which this gave that to them. The people were not actually allowed to vote because they were in a federal district.

  • Passage of the 24th Amendment

    This took the need to have to pay when voting. This was because they would put fees on so African Americans couldn't vote, they were poor. This helps the democracy because it makes voting fair, so more people can vote. It also makes it easier to vote by not having to collect money. Since it was taken away its not a racism claim someone can make. This allows the democracy to be better because more can participate.

  • Voting Rights Act of 1965

    This act overcame legal barriers that have prohibited African Americans from voting in the past. More people were open to the 24th amendment which lead to this. This spread democracy because it allowed more people to vote. Since more are participating in the government it is stronger. This also promotes equality, since it gave African Americans more rights.

  • Passage of the 26th Amendment

    This Amendment gave the voting age, eighteen and older. Since the draft of the Vietnam War the people felt, if they can fight they can vote. The significance is that began to efforts to lower property ownership ages. These property ownership ideas expanded to the African Americans and the Women. This is good for the Democracy because we are all even more equal. Poll tax, literacy tests, and residency requirements went also along with this amendment.