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15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
On February 26, 1869, the 15th Amendment was passed by Congress. Its purpose was to allow all voters to participate regardless of race. It outlawed literacy tests and wanted to prevent historical discrimination. The Voting Rights Act made the amendment possible by allowing the federal government to monitor electors and approve changes in voting laws in states with a history of discrimination.
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Alice Pauls Impact
In 1912, the National American Woman Suffrage Association appointed Alice Paul to the Congressional Committee. Here, she was able to organize a Woman Suffrage Procession planned on March 3, 1913, in Washington DC. She began to protest at the white house but people thought the nonviolent protests by these peaceful protesters were disloyal to the country, and the women were beaten and arrested for getting "in the way of traffic". National Park Service -
19th Amendment added to the U.S. Constitution
The 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920, and gave women the right to vote. The first women's meeting was held in 1848 at the Seneca Falls Convention. It wasn't introduced into Congress until 1878. National Archives -
Indian Citizenship Act
President Calvin Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act On June 2, 1924. The act declared that all Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States to be citizens. It wasn't a promise for all American Indians but it was a response to appreciate the large amount of Native Americans who served in the armed forces during the first world war. Blue Book 2023 -
24th Amendment in the U.S. Constitution
The 24th Amendment was ratified on January 23, 1964. It eliminated poll taxes enforced on the people by federal and state governments. It helped African Americans vote because many were poor because of the Jim Crow laws. However, most states ignored the amendment.
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McCarran-Walter Act
On October 3, 1965, the Immigration and Nationality Act was officially signed. The law got rid of immigrants being excluded because of their race. It also is a staple piece for the current immigration law. Senator McCarran and
Congressman Francis Walter pared up to prevent the exclusion or deportation of any immigrant coming to the U.S. Immigration Policy Center -
26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
On July 1, 1971, Congress ratified the 26th Amendment which changed the legal voting age to 18. The original voting age was set at 21 but after men were sent to war during WWII at the age of 18, people began to petition for a younger voting age. The men fought for the country and this is where the country formed the phrase "Old enough to fight, Old enough to vote".
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Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26, 1990. The act was a way to ensure people with disabilities had equality. It helped provide accommodations and access to places while ensuring equal access to health care, social services, transportation, and more. The act still has lots of progress to be made in the education aspect but has made funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law helping accessibility for the disabled. The White House -
Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act
On October 28, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the MOVE Act into law. The law was made to protect the rights of Americans overseas and members of the armed forces when voting. The act requires states to send absentee ballots no later than 45 days before the general election. Military and overseas people are required to register again with their election authority from the act every year. Ballotpedia -
Help America Vote Act
This act was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 29, 2002. The Help America Vote Act wanted to make improvements to voting systems and voter access while improving election administration. It also established the Election Assistance Commission which conducts research, created the National Voter Registration form and administers a national clearinghouse on elections. United States Election Assistance Commission