The 15th, 19th, and 26th Amendments to the United States Constitution all share a common theme of expanding voting rights and ensuring the protection of those rights for specific groups of people. Here’s a brief overview of each amendment:
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15th Amendment (ratified in 1870): This amendment prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." It was aimed at ensuring that African American men could vote after the Civil War.
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19th Amendment (ratified in 1920): This amendment grants women the right to vote, prohibiting any United States citizen from being denied the right to vote on the basis of sex. It was a significant victory in the women’s suffrage movement.
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26th Amendment (ratified in 1971): This amendment lowers the voting age to 18 years, ensuring that citizens who are 18 years or older cannot be denied the right to vote based on age. It was partly a response to arguments that those old enough to be drafted for military service should also have the right to vote.
In summary, these amendments are all focused on eliminating barriers to voting and expanding suffrage to include marginalized or previously excluded groups in the electoral process.