Which of the following statements best explains how the Southern states were able to circumvent the provisions of the Fifteenth Amendment?

Question

A. The Fifteenth Amendment applied in the Southern states, but they passed laws that prevented Black Americans from voting.

B. The Southern States did not approve the Fifteenth Amendment, and consequently they were not bound by its terms.

C. The Fifteenth Amendment only applied in the North.

D. The Supreme Court ruled the Fifteen Amendment unconstitutional.

Answer 1

A. The Fifteenth Amendment applied in the Southern states, but they passed laws that prevented Black Americans from voting.

This statement accurately explains how Southern states circumvented the provisions of the Fifteenth Amendment. After the amendment was ratified, many Southern states implemented discriminatory practices such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and other laws that effectively disenfranchised Black voters despite the constitutional protections intended by the amendment.