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The 1776 North Carolina Constitution
The 1776 NC Constitution was ratified in December 18, 1776. This stated the government for NC, which was recently a new state. This constitution was the first draft of the NC Constitution, and the voting system proffered only land owners to vote. Most of the population in NC could not vote. This constitution is significant in many ways. It was the first way to organize government in NC, and eventually became the government we know of today. It also aided democracy by spreading its beliefs. -
Seneca Falls Convention
The Seneca Falls Convention took place on July 19-20, 1848 and was the first women's right meeting to be in America. This meeting showed that women wanted to become involved within America. The Seneca Falls Convention was also significant because it was the first step for women to vote. Eventually women were able to vote because of this. This convention also began to spread democracy. This is because of equality that women wanted in government, as they wanted to be equal members of society. -
Passage of the 15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment was ratified on February 3, 1870 and stated that race can not determine who can vote within the United States. This allowed for African American men the right to vote. The 15th Amendment is significant today for many reasons. It allowed African American men to vote, which drastically changed America. This is because equality was rapidly spread to much more Americans. This led to an increase in equality and democracy, as the United States was honoring what it represented. -
Passage of the 17th Amendment
The 17th Amendment was ratified on April 8, 1913 and stated senators were now to be voted on by voters. This occurred because the states Legislative Branches were having issues appointing senators. This was significant for many reasons. One reason was that it gave more rights to American citizens. Another reason was that it led to senators becoming equal with the House of Representatives. This spread democracy as the government gave more rights to citizens, while also making America stronger. -
Passage of the 19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920 and stated that all United States citizens have the right to vote, no matter their sex. This amendment led way to women being given the right to vote. The 19th Amendment is known for being extremely influential because it allowed women the right to vote. This changed equality for all citizens throughout the U.S. Because equality was given to citizens through this amendment, it led to the expansion of democracy and more equal rights in America. -
Indian Citizenship Act
The Indian Citizenship Act was ratified June 2, 1924 and stated that Native Americans had the right to be citizens if born in the territory of America. This allowed for Native Americans to be counted as citizens. The Indian Citizenship Act was significant for many reasons. It allowed for Native Americans to be American citizens. It also allowed for democracy to further in America. This is because more people within America were counted as citizens, which led to more equality in America. -
Jim Crow Laws
The Jim Crow Laws were commonly used between the late 1800's and the early 1950's. These laws targeted racial segregation towards African Americans, and limited democracy. African Americans were forced to pay pole tax to vote, so they often didn't vote. African Americans also had to take a literacy test, which was purposely hard so that most failed it. The Grandfather Clause also limited African Americans, because only people who's grandfather could vote before the Civil War could now vote. -
Passage of the 23rd Amendment
The 23rd Amendment was ratified on March 29, 1961 and stated that citizens in Washington D.C. could now vote for president. This also gave the district the number of representatives it would have if Washington D.C. was a state. This was significant for many reasons. This allowed for citizens in Washington D.C. to be heard in government. This was a good thing because now most citizens were represented in government. This also spread democracy, as more equal rights were given to people nationwide. -
Passage of the 24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment was ratified on January 23, 1964 and stated that it was illegal to charge someone to vote in a federal election. This allowed for more Americans to take part in elections. The 24th Amendment was significant for many reasons. It addressed poll tax, which stopped many poor Black and White Americans from voting. This allowed for much more political involvement. This also allowed for democracy to spread, as more people took place in government as it is now a liberty in America. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was ratified on August 6, 1965 and stated that states could no longer stop African Americans from voting. This right was given in the 15th Amendment, and this act tried to make sure state and local governments were treating African Americans fair during elections. This was significant for many reasons. This got rid of racial legal barriers for African Americans when voting. This spread democracy because African Americans were now given better equality. -
Passage of the 26th Amendment
The 26th Amendment was ratified on July 1, 1971 and stated that citizens over the age of 18 had the right to vote. This allowed for the age of voting to be clarified in America. The 26th Amendment is significant because it helped the process of having a democracy. This is because people now had a right to vote once they became a certain age. Property qualifications were also now not needed to vote in America. These reasons changed how voting worked, and even how America ran its government.
