Derick Rodriguez
Mr. Roethler
APGOPO
28 February 2017
Most Important Act
The most important act Congress has ever enacted is the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Created by President Lyndon Johnson, the act removed barriers that prevented blacks from voting in the South such as poll tax, literacy tests, and any other measures used before the enactment. It has helped transform the patterns of political power in the South.
Events that led to the development of the Act can be trailed back to the years shortly after the end to the Civil War. Following the war, the 14th and 15th amendments were permitted. The 14th Amendment presented citizenship to all people naturalized in the United States, even the former slaves, and gave citizens equal protection. The 15th Amendment prohibited discrimination by states toward anyone on account of race or color. These amendments were ratified in hopes of ending racial discrimination in the polls. Despite their ratification, the Jim Crow Laws still impacted black voters. The laws imposed impossible literacy tests, poll taxes, and even property ownership requirements. The passage of the 24th Amendment outlawed poll taxes, but segregation was still prevalent. The event that triggered President Johnson to create the bill was the event known as “Bloody Sunday.” Peaceful protesters were attacked by state troopers in Selma, Alabama. President Johnson drew up the act after these series of events and signed it into law five days after introducing the bill. In the years before creating the act, blacks faced much trouble when trying to vote. They faced vexation, intimidation, and physical violence which resulted in very few blacks from voting. This prevention gave the group very little political power, whether it be locally or nationally. The Act was necessary because it served as an important milestone in improving the Rodriguez 2 rights for all citizens by giving them the opportunity to participate in elections. Despite …show more content…
It boosted the civil rights cause needed to move it swiftly along. Soon after the passage, federal examiners were conducting voter registrations, and the amount of registered black voters sharply increased. By 1966, only four out of the thirteen Southern states had less than fifty percent of black registered voters. By 1968, even Mississippi had fifty-nine percent of blacks registered. As time passed, fare more African Americans have been elected into public offices. Between 1965 and 1990, the number of black state legislators and members of Congress rose from two to one hundred and sixty. The act re-naturalized black southerners, helping elect blacks at all …show more content…
A new controversy has risen from the act today. This controversy is the qualification by certain states to have voters show a valid photo ID to vote. Advocates claim that it checks against any voter fraud. Those against the case say that such measures intrude on voter’s rights.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a landmark piece of legislation enacted by the United States government in order to end discrimination for voting. The act implemented a nationwide prohibition against the refusal of any citizen’s right to vote. Since its passage, the act has gone through changes to include more minorities groups other than African Americans. Even though the act is not as powerful as it used to be about 50 years ago, it still gives blacks and other minorities a chance to vote in elections than it did before its
Mr. Roethler
APGOPO
28 February 2017
Most Important Act
The most important act Congress has ever enacted is the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Created by President Lyndon Johnson, the act removed barriers that prevented blacks from voting in the South such as poll tax, literacy tests, and any other measures used before the enactment. It has helped transform the patterns of political power in the South.
Events that led to the development of the Act can be trailed back to the years shortly after the end to the Civil War. Following the war, the 14th and 15th amendments were permitted. The 14th Amendment presented citizenship to all people naturalized in the United States, even the former slaves, and gave citizens equal protection. The 15th Amendment prohibited discrimination by states toward anyone on account of race or color. These amendments were ratified in hopes of ending racial discrimination in the polls. Despite their ratification, the Jim Crow Laws still impacted black voters. The laws imposed impossible literacy tests, poll taxes, and even property ownership requirements. The passage of the 24th Amendment outlawed poll taxes, but segregation was still prevalent. The event that triggered President Johnson to create the bill was the event known as “Bloody Sunday.” Peaceful protesters were attacked by state troopers in Selma, Alabama. President Johnson drew up the act after these series of events and signed it into law five days after introducing the bill. In the years before creating the act, blacks faced much trouble when trying to vote. They faced vexation, intimidation, and physical violence which resulted in very few blacks from voting. This prevention gave the group very little political power, whether it be locally or nationally. The Act was necessary because it served as an important milestone in improving the Rodriguez 2 rights for all citizens by giving them the opportunity to participate in elections. Despite …show more content…
It boosted the civil rights cause needed to move it swiftly along. Soon after the passage, federal examiners were conducting voter registrations, and the amount of registered black voters sharply increased. By 1966, only four out of the thirteen Southern states had less than fifty percent of black registered voters. By 1968, even Mississippi had fifty-nine percent of blacks registered. As time passed, fare more African Americans have been elected into public offices. Between 1965 and 1990, the number of black state legislators and members of Congress rose from two to one hundred and sixty. The act re-naturalized black southerners, helping elect blacks at all …show more content…
A new controversy has risen from the act today. This controversy is the qualification by certain states to have voters show a valid photo ID to vote. Advocates claim that it checks against any voter fraud. Those against the case say that such measures intrude on voter’s rights.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a landmark piece of legislation enacted by the United States government in order to end discrimination for voting. The act implemented a nationwide prohibition against the refusal of any citizen’s right to vote. Since its passage, the act has gone through changes to include more minorities groups other than African Americans. Even though the act is not as powerful as it used to be about 50 years ago, it still gives blacks and other minorities a chance to vote in elections than it did before its