Victor 9-2-09
B period
Voting Rights
In 1776, American colonists declared independence from Great Britain. The drafted constitutions established voting rights for certain citizens, not everyone was included. The Articles of confederation did not address voting rights at all. Through the years, amendments to the constitution would extend the voting rights to more citizens. Enabling more people to participate in local and national government.
In 1789, male property owners were mainly the only people allowed to vote. Although some free African Americans could vote, this was very rare. The voting age was 21 and mostly wealthy white males voted. Women were not yet allowed to vote.
In 1870, the fifteenth amendment allowed African American males to vote. Many African American males were held back from voting by the poll taxes that were abolished in the twenty fourth amendment in 1964. Literacy tests were than suspended by the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Women could still not yet vote.
In 1920, the nineteenth amendment granted women voting rights. Brave women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony marched in a women’s suffrage parade in 1919.
Then in 1924, citizenship was extended to Native Americans, which also gave them the right to vote.
The latest change to the voting process was in 1971. The twenty sixth amendment was ratified and lowered the voting age to 18. The reason for this change was the fact that people were wondering why would the government draft 18-year-old kids to war but deny them the right to vote.
