Chapter 6 Section Assessments 17v2n

1. Describe two long-term trends that have characterized the history of suffrage in the United States?

a. The nation had restricted on certain factors of a person, which prevented groups of people from voting. Some of the factors that were restricted were: religious beliefs, property ownership, tax payment, race, and sex. b. The Federal Government gradually assuming the States’ powers over the right to vote. 2. Describe five distinct stages in the growth of the American electorate? a. First Stage: Elimination of certain factors that were restricted, are no long restricted. By mid-century, all white adult males could vote in every state.

b. Second Stage: The ratification of the 15th Amendment, which protected citizens being denied the right to vote. Though African Americans were still denied the right to vote.

c. Third Stage: The 19th Amendment prohibited the denial of the right to vote because of sex. The ratification in 1920 is the complete third stage. d. Forth Stage, Voting Rights Act of 1965, assisted racial equality in becoming a fact in polling booths thought the nation.

e. Fifth Stage: Adoption of the 26th Amendment, which only allowed those at the age of 18 and old the right to vote.

3. What is franchise? a. Same meaning as suffrage, the right to vote. 4. What restrictions does the Constitution place on the States in setting suffrage qualifications? a. Any person whom a State allows to vote for of the “most numerous branch” of its own legislature must also be allowed to vote for representatives and senators in Congress.

b. 15th Amendment c. 19th Amendment d. 24th Amendment e. 26th Amendment

1. For what reasons do most States require voter registration?

a. To make sure people are legal residents of the area where they are voting in. b. To make sure they do not vote more than once. c. To check if they are legally able to vote (such as having legal citizenship and making sure they are not felons.) d. Help prevent fraud. 2. What is the Motor Voter Law? What is its purpose? a. It directs every State to: i. Allow all eligible citizens to to vote when they apply for or renew a driver’s license. ii. Provide for voter registration by mail. iii. Make registration forms available at the local offices of State employment, welfare, and other social service agencies. 3. a. Why do election officials keep poll books? i. Because poll books contain a list of people who are eligible to vote in each precinct. b. Why is it a good idea to purge them every few years? Because the people who are no longer eligible to vote are removed from the list of people that are eligible to vote. 4. How was the poll tax used as a voting qualification? a. It demanded the payment of special taxes, and was used before to discourage African Americans from voting.

1. What is gerrymandering? What other devices were used to disenfranchise African Americans?

a. Manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class. b. Devices used to disenfranchise African Americans: i. Poll Taxes ii. Literacy Tests iii. Constitutional Tests iv. Separation of political parties by race. Whites were Democratic, while blacks were Republican. v. Being ignored vi. Intimidation 2. What part do injunctions play in the Civil Rights Act of 1964? a. Injunctions were judicial actions that were relied on to overcome racial barriers. 3. What is preclearance? How can a State “bail out” of the preclearance provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965?

a. It is a formal authorization permitting access to classified information, documents, etc. b. The relief can come if the State can show the United States District Court in the District of Columbia that it has not applied any voting procedures in a discriminatory way for at least 10 years. 4. a. Identify the major civil rights laws enacted since 1950.

i. The 15th Amendment: guaranteed blacks the right to vote. ii. The Voting Rights Act of 1965: outlawed discriminatory voting for 5 years. iii. The Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1970: ensure the voting rights of African Americans for 5 more years.

iv. The Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1975: ensure the voting rights of African Americans for 7 more years.

v. The Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1982 ensure the voting rights of African Americans for 25 more years.

1. How does a person’s sense of political efficacy affect his or her voting behavior? a. Since the lack any sense of their own influence of effectiveness in politics, they do not attempt to vote. 2. What is the gender gap? a. It is the existence of measurable differences between the partisan choices of men and women. Women tend to favor the Democrats by a margin of five to ten percent, and men often give the GOP a similar edge.