The document discusses amendments to the US Constitution that extended voting rights and civil rights protections. It summarizes that the original Bill of Rights only protected white males, and African Americans and women had few rights. Key amendments included the 13th banning slavery, 14th granting citizenship and equal protection under the law, and 15th banning restrictions on voting based on race. Later amendments granted women's suffrage, ended poll taxes, allowed voting in DC, and lowered the voting age.

1. Extending the Bill Of Rights Protecting All Americans

2. Bill of rights originally protects only adult white males Women could not vote African Americans had no rights at all

3. Purpose Limit the national government State and local used the reserved powers to limit civil rights

4. Three Amendments after the Civil War 13 th Amendment Officially outlawed slavery, did not guarantee full rights 14 th Amendment was a response to the black codes (1868) A US citizen was anyone who was born or naturalized in the US, which included most African Americans Every state had to give its citizens “equal protection under the laws” 15 th Amendment No state has the right to take away suffrage (right to vote) from anyone on the basis of race, color, or previous enslavement

5. 15 th Amendment Designed to guarantee suffrage to African Americans Many states get around Women could not vote States still found a way to restrict voting

6. 1913-1971 Congress passed 5 amendments to make suffrage more widespread and elections more democratic

7. 17 th Amendment (1913) Allowed for direct election of senators Before this time senators were elected by state legislators

8. 19 th Amendment (1920) Before 1920 states made their own laws with regard to women voting Guaranteed women the right to vote in all national and state elections

9. 23 rd Amendment Before 1961 people living in Washington DC could not vote in national elections Guaranteed voters in Washington DC the right to vote for president and vice president

10. 24 th Amendment Made poll taxes illegal in national elections

11. 26 th Amendment (1971) Guaranteed the right to vote to people 18 and older for national and state elections

12. Other Amendments 16 th - allows Congress to levy an income tax 18 th - Prohibition 20 th - deals with the beginning and ending of terms for the public officials 21 st -Repealed prohibition 22 nd - established the Presidential term limit 25 th -clarified the filling of Presidential vacancy 27 th ratified in 1992, 202 years after it was submitted and deals with congressional salaries,