Read this excerpt from Passage 2.

Question

“Ratified in 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment increased the liberties and rights granted by the Bill of Rights to formerly enslaved people. Two years later the Fifteenth Amendment was ratified, giving African American men the right to vote.” (paragraph 12)



What does the word ratified mean as it is used in Passage 2?


started


canceled


established


discontinued

Answer 1

In the context of Passage 2, the word "ratified" means "established." It refers to the formal approval or confirmation of the amendments (the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments) to the Constitution.