What did the Fifteenth Amendment achieve?

What did the Fifteenth Amendment achieve?

• A. It abolished slavery
• B. It granted citizenship to all born in the U.S.
• C. It prohibited denying the right to vote based on race
• D. It established income tax

Answer: (C)

The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, specifically addresses voting rights by prohibiting the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." This amendment was a significant achievement in the post-Civil War era, as it aimed to ensure that African American men—who had been enslaved and marginalized—could participate in the democratic process. By affirming the right to vote for all citizens regardless of race, the amendment sought to build a more inclusive democracy and was a key milestone in the civil rights movement. In contrast, the other choices refer to different historical developments: the abolition of slavery is achieved by the Thirteenth Amendment, granting citizenship for all born in the U.S. was established by the Fourteenth Amendment, and the establishment of an income tax originated from the 16th Amendment. Each of these amendments plays a unique role in American history but does not address the specific voting rights that the Fifteenth Amendment covers.

The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, specifically addresses voting rights by prohibiting the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." This amendment was a significant achievement in the post-Civil War era, as it aimed to ensure that African American men—who had been enslaved and marginalized—could participate in the democratic process. By affirming the right to vote for all citizens regardless of race, the amendment sought to build a more inclusive democracy and was a key milestone in the civil rights movement.

In contrast, the other choices refer to different historical developments: the abolition of slavery is achieved by the Thirteenth Amendment, granting citizenship for all born in the U.S. was established by the Fourteenth Amendment, and the establishment of an income tax originated from the 16th Amendment. Each of these amendments plays a unique role in American history but does not address the specific voting rights that the Fifteenth Amendment covers.