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Rise of Democratic Politics
From 1820 to 1840, democratic politics in America were widely expanded upon. Voting was made much easier and more direct, and a whopping 80% of adult white males voted as opposed to just 30% from 1820. By 1840, almost all adult white men were able to vote, with only three states still restricting it to white male property owners and taxpayers. The Rise of Democratic Politics allowed for a strong base to be set for voting privileges that can be expanded on in the future. -
15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment allowed suffrage to expand to African American men. It aimed to help eliminate discrimination and allow other adult men to vote without being denied of it based off race or having been a slave. Non-white men and freed slaves were given the right to vote, apart from Native Americans. Southern states still attempted to suppress voting rights by requiring African Americans to pass difficult literacy tests before voting. -
19th Amendment
This piece of legislation expanded voting rights to women. This amendment gave women the right to vote nationwide, which protected adult women from being discriminated against and denied their right to vote based off of their gender. -
Indian Citizenship Act of 1924
This piece of legislation expanded voting rights to Native Americans. This act granted Native Americans citizenship, which allowed them to participate in elections. This helped protect the voting rights of those who had tribal affiliation. -
McCarren Walter Act of 1952
This act helped expand suffrage to Asian-Americans. This helped protect Asian-Americans' right to vote by allowing them to become citizens, which then expanded the right to vote to them. It also marked a shift towards a more inclusive approach to voting rights and citizenship. -
23rd Amendment
The 23rd Amendment gave DC residents the right to vote for presidents, but not congressional representatives. Before this amendment, residents of the capital did not have the ability to vote in presidential elections. This amendment protected their right to vote in the presidential election. -
24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment expanded the right to vote to all men and women 21 years old and older regardless of race, education, or religion. This protected those who were unable to vote due to worse education or lower economic status by allowing them the right to vote regardless. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This act removed discriminatory barriers to allow more people of color to vote by prohibiting states from using literary tests and other means of excluding people of color from voting. This act protected people of color from discriminatory ways of preventing them from voting. -
26th Amendment
This amendment expanded voting rights to those 18-20 years old by reducing the voting age to 18. This protected those who were old enough to be drafted for military service by allowing them to be able to vote as well. -
VRA Reauthorization of 1975
This act reauthorized the Voting Rights Act, permanently banning literacy tests and requiring voting materials to be translated. This expanded the right to vote of minorities by lessening the discrimination allowed against them. This protected minorities who speak different languages and minorities who were discriminated against through the use of literacy tests. -
Voting Accessibility for Elderly and Handicapped Act
This act expanded the right to vote to be more accessible for people with disabilities and those who have difficulty gaining access to polling places. This helped protect the elderly and handicapped from being unable to vote due to their disabilities.