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.”

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

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

c Congress passes a law to ensure all people have the
right to vote.
d The NAACP lobbies Congress for passage of a right-tovote law.
The Supreme Court addresses the Fifteenth
Amendment’s constitutionality.

GPT 3.5 · Answer

a) This law attempted to reconcile the discrepancy between American ideals and public policy by explicitly stating that the right to vote cannot be denied or abridged based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. It aimed to ensure that all citizens, regardless of race or previous enslavement, were guaranteed the right to vote, aligning with the American ideal of equality and equal representation.

c) Congress passes a law to ensure all people have the right to vote. This answer is incorrect because the Fifteenth Amendment itself was the law passed by Congress to ensure that the right to vote is not denied or abridged based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

d) The NAACP lobbies Congress for passage of a right-to-vote law. This answer is also incorrect because the NAACP was not founded until 1909, several decades after the Fifteenth Amendment was passed in 1870. The NAACP did advocate for civil rights and voting rights, but they did not specifically lobby for the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment.

The correct answer is:

The Supreme Court addresses the Fifteenth Amendment’s constitutionality. This answer is correct because the Supreme Court has addressed the constitutionality of the Fifteenth Amendment in various cases throughout history. These cases have helped interpret and clarify the scope and application of the amendment in ensuring the right to vote for all citizens, regardless of race.