What did the 15th Amendment accomplish?

What did the 15th Amendment accomplish?

• A. Guaranteed voting rights for Black men
• B. Abolished slavery
• C. Guaranteed citizenship
• D. Prohibited women from voting

Answer: (A)

Voting rights tied to race is the focus. This amendment, ratified in 1870, declares that the right to vote cannot be denied or abridged because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. That is why the correct choice describes guaranteeing voting rights for Black men. It did not abolish slavery—that happened with the 13th Amendment; it did not guarantee citizenship—that's the 14th Amendment, which also includes equal protection; and it did not address women’s voting—that came later with the 19th Amendment in 1920. In practice, while it protected Black men’s right to vote on paper, many states found ways to block or suppress voting for decades through discriminatory laws and practices, and full realization required later federal enforcement.

Voting rights tied to race is the focus. This amendment, ratified in 1870, declares that the right to vote cannot be denied or abridged because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. That is why the correct choice describes guaranteeing voting rights for Black men. It did not abolish slavery—that happened with the 13th Amendment; it did not guarantee citizenship—that's the 14th Amendment, which also includes equal protection; and it did not address women’s voting—that came later with the 19th Amendment in 1920. In practice, while it protected Black men’s right to vote on paper, many states found ways to block or suppress voting for decades through discriminatory laws and practices, and full realization required later federal enforcement.