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Constitution adopted
The Constitution did not actually establish rules on who could vote, but only said that those who could vote in their states could vote for members in the House of Representatives. This limited voting to white proprety ownig males. -
Voting rights expanded
North Carolina is the last state to drop it property requirment for voting, basically all white males can now vote -
Black Men gain some voting rights
Five states, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and
Massachusetts allow free black men to vote. New York allows free black men who own at least $250 of property. -
15th Ammendment
The 15th Ammendment passes granting former male slaves the right to vote, and protecting other male minorites in their voting rights -
Supressing Black Vote
Mississippi adopts a literacy test to keep African Americans from voting. Numerous other states also establish literacy tests. However, the tests also exclude many whites from voting. To get around this, states add grandfather clauses that allow those who could vote before 1870, or their descendants, to vote regardless of literacy or tax qualifications. Poll taxes also used to supress African American voting, along wth violnece from groups like the KKK -
17th Ammendment
Senators are now elected directly by the peaople and no longer selected by the state legislature -
Legal Battles
In Guinn v. United the Supreme Court ruled that the grandfather clause is unconstitutional -
19th Ammendment
The 19th Ammendment grants the right to vote to all woman! -
Indian Citizenship Act
Indian Citizenship Act grants all Native Americans the rights of citizenship, including the right to vote in federal elections. -
23rd Amendment
The 23rd Amendment allows voters of the District of Columbia to participate in presidential elections
