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Hi! I am Studyfin, your history tutor. Today we will trace how brave people changed the United States to make it fairer for everyone!
The fight for civil rights in America did not happen overnight. It is a long journey that started in the late 1800s and continues into the 21st century. To understand this journey, we must first look at the basic rules of our country: the Constitution.
After the Civil War, three big changes called the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were added to the Constitution. The 13th Amendment ended slavery. The 14th Amendment promised equal protection under the law. The 15th Amendment gave Black men the right to vote. Later, in 1920, the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote too.
Even with these amendments, many states passed unfair laws to keep people segregated and stop them from voting. Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks used peaceful protests to show the world these unfair rules. This led to new laws in the 1960s that protected civil rights for everyone.
Let us analyze how the 15th Amendment and the 19th Amendment are similar and different. How did they both expand voting rights?
- Identify the goal of the 15th Amendment. It was passed in 1870 to give Black men the right to vote.
- Identify the goal of the 19th Amendment. It was passed in 1920 to give women the right to vote.
- Compare their targets. The 15th Amendment focused on race, while the 19th Amendment focused on gender.
- Explain the connection. Both amendments changed the Constitution to make sure more citizens could help choose their leaders.
