Read the following excerpt from the Fifteenth Amendment:

Question

“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

Describe how this law attempted to reconcile the discrepancy between American ideals and public policy.

(1 point)
Responses

Congress passes a law to ensure all people have the right to vote.
Congress passes a law to ensure all people have the right to vote.

Large numbers of people march on Washington for the passage of laws.
Large numbers of people march on Washington for the passage of laws.

The NAACP lobbies Congress for passage of a right-to-vote law.
The NAACP lobbies Congress for passage of a right-to-vote law.

The Supreme Court addresses the Fifteenth Amendment’s constitutionality.

Answer 1

The first option, "Congress passes a law to ensure all people have the right to vote", is the correct response. The Fifteenth Amendment was passed by Congress to safeguard the voting rights of all citizens in the United States, regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This amendment aimed to address the discrepancy between American ideals of equality and the prevailing public policy of voter discrimination based on race.