4.5 U.S. Constitution: Expanding Voting Rights

African-American males Passed after the Civil War the amendments gave African American males the vote but by 1890 "literacy tests" and "grandfather clauses" ended these rights in southern states.

15th Amendment (1870)

Women After a lengthy and difficult struggle that began in 1878, and included parades, silent vigils, and hunger strikes, Tennessee's vote in 1919 allowed the passage of the amendment.

19th Amendment (1920)

Citizens in Washington D.C. Due to the wording of the Constitution, voters in D.C. could not vote in presidential elections. The amendment gave them electoral votes equal to their population.

23rd Amendment (1960)

African-Americans kept from voting by poll taxes The 23rd Amendment outlawed poll taxes that kept some African-American voters in southern states from exercising voting rights.

24th Amendment (1964)

Voters aged 18 The push to lower the voting age began in World War II when so many young people lost their lives fighting for their country. During the Vietnam War the issue gained support and it was passed before the war ended.

26th Amendment (1971)

After the adoption in 1791 of the ten amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights, how many times had the Constitution's drafters changed the original document? a. 27 times b. 17 times c. not at all d. 10 times

B

What has been the main thrust of most of the amendments enacted after the Bill of Rights? a. to foster nationalism b. to preserve federalism c. to enable the people to overthrow the gov't d. to protect or expand the rights already guaranteed in the Constitution and Bill of Rights

D

Which is NOT a correct route for amending the Constitution? a. Three-fourths of the state legislatures ratify the approved amendment proposal of two-thirds of the Congress. b. Two-thirds majorities of each house of Congress vote their approval and three quarters of the state legislatures add their ratification. c. Two thirds of the states may vote to call a constitutional convention, whose proposed amendments must be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures. c. Two thirds of the states may vote to call a constitutional convention, whose proposed amendments must be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures.

D