In the 1860s, voting requirements in Texas were influenced by the broader political and social context of the time, including issues of race, gender, and property ownership. Here are the general requirements for voting during that period:
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Age: Voters had to be at least 21 years old.
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Citizenship: Voters needed to be U.S. citizens or at least recognized as such under Texas law.
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Residency: Voters were required to be residents of Texas and, often, of the specific district in which they were voting.
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Race: After the Civil War, during the Reconstruction era, African American men were granted the right to vote through the 15th Amendment (ratified in 1870), but in practice, many faced significant barriers such as literacy tests and poll taxes.
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Gender: Voting was limited to men during this period. Women, particularly in Texas, did not gain the right to vote until the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.
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Property Ownership: While not a formal requirement for all voters, property ownership played a significant role in who had access to the vote, particularly in rural areas.
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Registration: Voters typically needed to register to vote, although the requirements and processes varied over time, especially with shifts in political power.
It's important to note that the dynamics of voting rights in Texas were complex and often tied to the tumultuous events of the Civil War and Reconstruction, leading to various discriminatory practices that effectively disenfranchised many groups, particularly African Americans and poor whites.
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