Question

Comparing the interpretations of the U.S. Constitution, with ___, the fifteenth amendment protects the rights of all races to 'the right to vote' and this includes restricting the power of states to write voting laws when these violate civil rights; with ___, the Fifteenth Amendment protects the rights of all races to vote, and the states retain the power to write their own voting laws.

Answer 1

Comparing interpretations of the U.S. Constitution, with a broad (national) interpretation, the Fifteenth Amendment protects the rights of all races to "the right to vote" and thus can restrict states’ power to enact voting laws that violate civil rights; with a narrow (states’‑rights) interpretation, the Fifteenth Amendment protects the right to vote but leaves states the primary authority to craft their own voting laws.

Examples: the broad interpretation is reflected in decisions enforcing the Voting Rights Act and invalidating discriminatory state rules (e.g., Smith v. Allwright (1944), Katzenbach-era rulings); the narrow approach is reflected in early post‑Reconstruction rulings (United States v. Reese, 1876; United States v. Cruikshank, 1876) and more recent limits on federal oversight (Shelby County v. Holder, 2013).