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How and why has the Constitution been amended to extend and protect the right to vote?

Question by TheColorCute: How and why has the Constitution been amended to extend and protect the right to vote?
How and why has the Constitution been amended to extend and protect the right to vote?

Thanks! 🙂

Best answer:

Answer by Fed E
15th amendment, gave everyone the right to vote, not just whites.

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3 comments on “How and why has the Constitution been amended to extend and protect the right to vote?

  • Cultural Theorist

    September 12, 2011 at 10:39 pm

    The Constitution was amended more than once to extend voting rights. The Fifteenth Amendment was written to secure the voting rights of former slaves. Amendments 13-15 are referred to as the Reconstruction Amendments. All of these amendments were made to give former slaves the same rights as all other citizens. The 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote. The Twenty-fourth Amendment made it illegal to charge a poll tax to vote. Before then, the poll tax was used to prevent those who could not afford to pay (which were mostly Blacks) from voting. The Twenty-sixth Amendment changed voting age from 21 to 18. This was due to protests during the Vietnam War. The protesters asked why they were allowed to die in the war yet not allowed to vote.

  • Sovereignty is Popular

    September 12, 2011 at 11:23 pm

    I don’t know why, but it was one of the dumbest things that has happened in this country.

  • The US Constitution has been amended by the 15th, 19th, 23rd, 24th and 26th amendments to extend voting rights.
    The 15th amendment was passed to guarantee former slaves the right to vote. Why? The North won the Civil War (AKA The War Between the States) and thought that slavery was an abomination and slaves should have the right to vote.
    The 19th amendment guaranteed women the right to vote. Why? Because enough men realized that it just wasn’t right that women could vote. Also, women had been actively pushing for the right to vote for over 50 years.
    The 23rd amendment guaranteed the right to vote for President to residents of Washington DC. Why? Even though DC has no direct representation in Congress, many people felt it was unfair that DC residents didn’t even have a say in who occupies the White House.
    The 24th amendment banned poll taxes, thus helping to ensure that poor people weren’t barred from voting.
    The 26th amendment lowered the voting age to 18. At that time, America was involved in the Vietnam war. The military could draft young men at the age of 18 to go overseas and die. The vast majority of Americans felt that if someone is old enough to die for his country, he should be allowed to vote.

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