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Suffrage in the Constitution
Originally they left it up to the state governments to decide who should have the right to vote. At that time it was limited to only white males who owned property that had the right. Anyone besides that could not vote. -
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Suffrage
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Fourteenth Amendment
This amendment granted full citizenship to African Americans. -
Fifteenth Amendment
This amendment stated that all men could vote regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Many Southern stats didn't like that this granted African Americans the right to vote. -
Minor vs. Happersett
Virginia Minor attempted to register to vote and was denied the ability. She then sued Reese Happersett, the registrar, who would not allow her to register. -
Literacy Tests
These tests were required to prove that a person could read and write, before being granted the right to vote. Some states required all men to pass these tests before being allowed to vote. The test was purposely made very challenging, therefore many of the African Americans that didn't even recieve an education could not pass. -
Grandfather Clause
This gave men the right to vote only if their grandfathers' had had the right to vote. Many African American's grandfathers' were slaves who were denied the right to vote, therefore many did not qualify. -
Nineteenth Amendment
Ratified in 1920; the 19th amendment gave women the right to vote. -
How Women Gained Suffrage
Women finally acheived suffrage after many protests, reading the Womens' Declaration of Independence, and rants. The states ratified th 19th amendment and changed to allowing all women the right to vote. -
How Native Americans Gained Suffrage
The Native Americans gained suffrage from the Dawes Act; 1887 act which granted Native Americans a tract of land and citizenship to those who were willing to give up their allegiance to their tribe. After the Dawes Act, which was not very successful, the Congress passed the Indian Citizenship Act; granted Indians full citizenship, including the right to vote. -
Poll Taxes
A fee that a person had to pay in order to vote. Few states charged all people. Many African Americans were former slaves so they were poor, therefore couldn't afford the tax, and could not vote. -
Twenty-Fourth Amendment
The right to vote in elections shall not be denied because of one's ability to not be able to pay any type of tax. -
How African Americans Gained Suffrage
African Americans gained suffrage by protesting which led to the civil rights movement, which then caused the 24th amendment. -
The Voting Rights Act
This law protected voting rights for all of the citizens. Forced the states to obey the Constitution. Nobody's right to vote could be denied by color. -
Twenty-Sixth Amendment
Said that any citizen of the United States can legally vote, if they are of 18 years or older.
