Voting Rights and Suffrage in American History

democracy

A form of government where the people have a say in how the gov in run, typically though voting, suggesting laws, and running for political office

authoritarian state

a country whose political system rejects political participation of citizens; lack of democracy, strong centralization of power in the federal government, rule through a single individual (dictator) or political party (one-party states)

republic

A form of government in which the country is considered a 'public matter' and is not the private concern of the rulers.

suffrage

The right to vote in political elections.

universal suffrage

The extension of voting rights to all adult citizens, regardless of race, gender, or social status.

13th amendment 1865

An amendment to the United States Constitution that abolished slavery and involuntary servitude.

14th amendment 1868

An amendment that grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States and guarantees equal protection under the law.

15th amendment 1870

An amendment that prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on 'race, color, or previous condition of servitude.'

disenfranchisement

The state of being deprived of a right or privilege, especially the right to vote.

enfranchisement

The granting of the right to vote to a person or group.

poll taxes

A fee required to vote, which was used to restrict voting rights, particularly among low-income individuals.

literacy test

A test administered to determine a person's literacy skills, often used to disenfranchise voters, particularly African Americans.

Grandfather Clause

A law that allowed individuals to bypass literacy tests and poll taxes if their grandfathers had been eligible to vote before the Civil War.

Civil Rights Movement

A decades-long movement aimed at ending racial discrimination and gaining equal rights for African Americans.

Martin Luther King Jr

An American civil rights leader who advocated for nonviolent protest and played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement.

Selma March

A series of marches in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, that were pivotal in the movement for voting rights.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

A landmark piece of federal legislation that prohibited racial discrimination in voting.

suffragette movement

A movement advocating for women's right to vote, particularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Seneca Falls Convention of 1848

The first women's rights convention in the United States, which launched the women's suffrage movement.

19th amendment 1920

An amendment to the United States Constitution that granted women the right to vote.

Indian Citizenship Act of 1924

Legislation that granted U.S. citizenship to Native Americans, allowing them to vote.

26th amendment

An amendment that lowered the voting age to 18 years.

gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one party over another.

Voter ID Laws

Laws requiring voters to present specific forms of identification at the polls.

Electoral College

A body of electors established by the United States Constitution, which formally elects the President and Vice President.

voter fraud

Illegal interference with the election process, including casting votes under false pretenses.