Suffrage
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Prior Male to the Revolution
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Voting limited to white protestant males owning land
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After the Revolution
Influence of Declaration of Independence n Soldiers demanded the right to vote n Vote expanded to white males paying taxes
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Male Suffrage, continued
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After the Revolution
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Why not extended to everyone
Must contribute to society Too much power to the poor
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1840s suffrage extended to all white males
Black Male Suffrage
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Constitutional Amendments
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13th freed slaves 15th gave former slaves the right to vote
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Black Male Suffrage, continued
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State barriers to black participation
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Literacy Test A state law requiring potential voters to demonstrate reading skills. Poll Tax A state tax paid prior to voting. Grandfather Clauses A state law allowing people to vote, even if they did not meet legal requirements, if an ancestor had voted before 1867. White Primaries The exclusion of blacks from voting in the primary elections of political parties. Intimidation
Women Suffrage
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Outgrowth of anti-slavery movement Southern barriers
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Giving women the right to vote would force them to extend it to blacks
First suffrage came in Western states 19th n Amendment (1920) women's suffrage
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2
Young Americans Suffrage
26th Amendment (1971) lowered voting age to 18 n Why
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Vietnam War
Declining Voter Turnout?
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I. NO decline, just vote differently
Parties printed own ballots Ballots were cast in public n Parties controlled the counting n Voter eligibility n Australian ballot Voting in Secret
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Declining Voter Turnout?, continued
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II. YES, a real decline in turnout
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Higher youth & minority populations
Less likely to vote
Less party influence n Voter responsibility n Disenfranchisement from politics n Voter Registration
Motor-Voter Law attempted to increase voter registration by allowing people to register when they renew their ...