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Period: to
1789-2013
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Constitution
The constitution originally left it up to the state governments to decide who should have the right to vote. In the early years of our nation the states limited the right to vote to white men who owned property. In 1789 white males who did not own property, members of certain religious groups, freedmen, Native Americans, slaves, and women were not allowed to vote. Pg. 215 -
The Fourteenth Amendment
The Fourteenth Amendment granted full citizenship to African Americans. Pg. 217,219,220,221 -
The Fifteenth Amendment
The Fifteenth Amendment guarenteed the right to vote to men regardless of their "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." Pg. 217,219,220,221 -
Grandfather Clause
A grandfather clause said that a person had the righth to vote only if his grandfather had had the right to vote. Few African American men could qualify. Their grandfathers had been slaves and had been denied the right to vote. Pg. 218 -
Poll Taxes
A poll tax is a fee a person must pay in order to vote. Some states charged all people a poll tax. Since most former slaves were very poor, they could not pay for the tax and, therefore, could not vote. -
Literacy Tests
A literacy test requires that a person prove that he or she is able to read and write. Some states required all men to pass these tests before being allowed to vote. Because most African American men had been denied an education they could not pass the test. Often the people who gave the test behaved unfairly. They made it impossible for even educated men to pass the test. Pg. 218 -
Nineteenth Amendment
In 1919, the states ratified the Nineteenth Amendment to the constitution, which gave women the right to vote. Pg. 217,219,220,221 -
How women, African Americans, and Native Americans gained suffrage
In 1920, the states ratified the Nineteenth Amendment to the constitution, which gave women the vote. One hundred and thirty years after the signing of the Constitution, women had finally gained the right to vote.
Finally, Congress passed a law in 1924 called the Indian Citizenship Act. This law fully recognized Indians as citizens of the United States. This law also gave Indians the right to vote in federal elections. Pg. 219,220 -
Twenty-Fourth Amendment
As a result of the civil rights movement, the 24th Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1964. The amendment says that the right to vote in national elections shall not be denied because a person fails to pay a poll tax or any other tax. Pg. 217,219,220,221 -
Voting Rights Act
Congress passed a law called the Voting Rights Act in 1965. The law protected the right to vote for all citizens. The law forced the states to obey the Constitution. It made it clear that the right to vote could not be denied because of a person's color. Pg. 219 -
Twenty-sixth Amendment
The 26th Amendment was added in 1971, grants the right to vote to any citizen who is 18 or older. Pg. 217,219,220,221 -
Voting Requirements today
The states, although limited by the Constitution and the federal Voting Rights Act, still make some decisions regarding voting rights. All states have laws saying only citizens have the right to vote, although the Constitution does not require this. Every state requires that persons must live in the state for a period of time before they can vote, and all states except North Dakota require citizens to register, before voting. Pg. 221
