Which of the following were the result of the Tennessee Constitution of 1870?

A.
slavery was banned and the right to vote was guaranteed to former Confederate soldiers
B.
poll taxes were banned and the right to vote was guaranteed to African Americans
C.
all Jim Crow laws were banned and the right to vote was given to all landowners
D.
Ku Klux Klan membership was banned and the right to vote was guaranteed to all men

1 answer

The correct answer is A. The Tennessee Constitution of 1870 did indeed ban slavery. However, it did not guarantee the right to vote to former Confederate soldiers; rather, it established more general voting rights while still including some restrictions for specific groups.

To clarify the options:

  • B is incorrect: Poll taxes were not banned by the Tennessee Constitution of 1870 and the right to vote for African Americans was not fully guaranteed at that time.
  • C is incorrect: All Jim Crow laws were not banned, and voting rights were not given to all landowners without restrictions.
  • D is incorrect: Ku Klux Klan membership was not explicitly banned in this constitution, and voting rights were not guaranteed to all men without imposition of restrictions.

Therefore, while A is the closest to a true statement regarding the outcomes of the Tennessee Constitution of 1870, it is important to note its limitations and the broader historical context of voting rights during that period.