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15th Ammendment
The 15th Amendment specifically said that the right to vote wouldn't be deprived because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. But in more simple terms it said that African Americans could vote. This amendment was made because even though African Americans were citizens, they still really couldn't vote. The government wanted to make sure they could vote about issues that affect them so they could live in a healthier and better society. (source is my brain) -
Alice Paul Suffrage Parade
The day before President Woodrow Wilson's inauguration, thousands of women marched down the route that the president would be taking the next day. They marched along Pennsylvania Avenue protesting with signs for more rights, like voting. The parade was organized by the NAWSA, and choreographed by Alice Paul. It was important how they acted so that people wouldn't think badly of them and consider their opinions and ideas. Link -
19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment made it illegal to deny anyone the right to vote based on their sex. This meant that women could vote just like men. The 19th Amendment was first introduced to Congress in 1878, but it was ratified in 1920. It took a lot of hard work, protests, and parades for the amendment to be ratified 42 years later. Key women who had a big impact on the ratification of the amendment were Ida B. Wells and Alice Paul. Link -
McCarran-Walter Act
The McCarran-Walter Act removed the earlier immigration restrictions that were based on the race of people. The act laid out the foundation for our immigration laws today. It made a quota system for immigration, and also new exceptions for immigrants who wanted to get it. Link -
24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment abolished poll tax, so both the states and the national government couldn't tax voters. This had a big impact on people who weren't rich because they were more motivated to vote if they didn't have to pay any unnecessary fines. Link -
Freedom Summer
Even though African Americans were given the right to vote in 1870, a lot of them still couldn't vote for a number of reasons. Freedom Summer was a time period when African Americans tried to battle these obstacles. People tried to intimidate them so they wouldn't vote but they had a lot of support so it was overall successful. Over 700 mostly white people supported the African American's drive towards more black voters. Link -
Reynolds vs. Sims
Sims and the other citizens who lived in his area challenged the proportionality of votes in the different counties. The Constitution said that there was only 1 representative per county, but compared to other counties, Jefferson County (where Sims lived) had 41 times as many eligible voters. They argued that the proportionality was wrong and this caused some people to be represented less in government. Link -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
After the Civil War even though the North had won, discriminatory practices continued. People made legislature that indirectly restricted African Americans from voting. Like the literacy tests, a white person was given an easy test while an African American was given a way harder test. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 presented these things so more African Americans could vote and be represented in government, voting would help them live a better life. Link -
26th Amendment
The 26th Amendment stated that citizens 18 or older could vote. This amendment was made because in WWII many men from 18-20 were drafted into the war, and a lot of them died too. But still, they weren't allowed to vote on things that had a lot of effect on them. So the people who were affected by this voiced their concerns by saying if they were old enough to fight then they were old enough to vote. Then after this, the 26th Amendment was ratified. Link -
Motor Voter Act
The Motor Voter Act, The National Voter Registration Act of 1993, made it easier for Americans to vote. Many sections of the act are just requiring the States to hold places where people can register for voting. This way people don't have to go really far just to register, and more of them could vote. The more the people vote, the more America is represented in all of the decisions that are made in government. Link