Which amendment prohibits voting on the basis of race?

Which amendment prohibits voting on the basis of race?

• A. The Fourteenth Amendment
• B. The Fifteenth Amendment
• C. The Thirteenth Amendment
• D. The First Amendment

Answer: (B)

The fundamental idea is that voting cannot be denied because of race. This protection comes from the Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, which states that the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. It was enacted during Reconstruction to secure the voting rights of freed slaves. By contrast, the Thirteenth Amendment bans slavery and involuntary servitude; the Fourteenth Amendment grants citizenship and equal protection under the law; and the First Amendment protects freedoms like speech, religion, and assembly. In practice, the Fifteenth establishes the prohibition on racial discrimination in voting, even though full enforcement would come later through additional civil rights measures.

The fundamental idea is that voting cannot be denied because of race. This protection comes from the Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, which states that the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. It was enacted during Reconstruction to secure the voting rights of freed slaves. By contrast, the Thirteenth Amendment bans slavery and involuntary servitude; the Fourteenth Amendment grants citizenship and equal protection under the law; and the First Amendment protects freedoms like speech, religion, and assembly. In practice, the Fifteenth establishes the prohibition on racial discrimination in voting, even though full enforcement would come later through additional civil rights measures.