1. Aim: How have voting rights expanded over time? Do Now: How many pieces of legislation can you name that have expanded voting rights?

2. I. Nonvoting A. About only half of Americans vote B. The U.S. is ranked near the bottom in comparison to other democratic nations in voter turnout 1. If one counts only registered voters in the U.S., we are in the middle 2. A low percentage of Americans are registered to vote

3. II. Voting Rights A. In the early Republic, only white, male, citizens, over the age of 21, who were property holders could vote 1. Property requirements were eliminated during the Jacksonian Era 2. Americans voted directly only for members of the House B. 15 th Amendment (1870): Expanded voting rights to include African American males 1. African Americans were still excluded through the use of:

4. a. Poll Tax: a requirement that citizens had to pay a tax in order to register to vote b. Literacy Test: a requirement that citizens show that they can read before registering to vote c. White Primary: practice of keeping blacks from voting in Southern state primaries through arbitrary use of registration requirements and intimidation d. Grandfather Clause: allowed people to vote who did not meet registration requirements to bypass the literacy test and poll tax if their grandfathers had voted prior to 1867 (whites)

5. C. 17 th Amendment (1913): Provided for direct election of senators D. 19 th Amendment (1920): Granted women the right to vote E. Native American Citizenship Act (1924): Granted Native Americans citizenship and the right to vote. 1. some states continued to restrict Native American voting rights until 1957 F. 24 th Amendment (1964): Ended the use of poll taxes. G. Voting Rights Act (1965): Ended the Use of Literacy Tests H. Voting Rights Act (1970): Extended the ban on literacy tests for five years (renewed in 1975, 1982, and 2006). Granted 18 year olds the right to vote in Federal Elections. I. 26 th Amendment (1971): Granted voting rights to 18 year old citizens.

6. Questions: 1. Based on what we have seen, explain the meaning of this statement: “Democracy is a process.” 2. What do you see for the future of voting rights in this country? Should or could these rights be expanded further, should they remain the same, or should they be restricted? Explain.