Voting Rights Lesson Plan & Voting Rights History | iCivics - Free Printable

Let's solve the Voting Rights Maze Sheet step by step, filling in the blanks and explaining each answer.

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1. The Founding Fathers left it up to ________ to decide who could vote.

✔ Answer: *the states*

Explanation:
When the United States was founded, the Constitution did not specify who could vote. Instead, individual states were responsible for setting their own voting requirements. This meant that voting rights varied widely from state to state.

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2. In colonial times and during the early years of our country, when men had to prove that they owned ________ in order to be able to vote. Where did this idea come from?

✔ Answer: *property*
✔ Origin: *England*

Explanation:
In colonial America and early U.S. history, many states required voters to own property (like land) to vote. This practice originated in England, where only property-owning men were allowed to vote in parliamentary elections. The idea was that property owners had a vested interest in society and would make more responsible decisions.

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3. The 15th Amendment passed in ________ said that no one could not be denied an amount of ________. But it only applied to ________.

✔ Answer:
- 1870
- vote
- African American men

Explanation:
The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, stated that the right to vote could not be denied based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. However, it only applied to African American men—women of all races were still excluded. It did not guarantee voting rights for women or protect against other forms of discrimination like poll taxes or literacy tests.

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4. Over time, voting rights changed in two ways: by changing ________ laws and by amending the ________.

✔ Answer:
- state
- Constitution

Explanation:
Voting rights have expanded through:
- Changes in state laws (e.g., removing property requirements)
- Amendments to the U.S. Constitution (e.g., 15th, 19th, 24th, 26th Amendments)

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5. Despite the 15th Amendment, some states prevented blacks people from voting. Name three barriers:

✔ Answers (examples):
1. Poll taxes – fees required to vote
2. Literacy tests – difficult reading/writing tests
3. Grandfather clauses – allowed only those whose ancestors voted before the Civil War to vote (exempting white voters)

Explanation:
Even after the 15th Amendment, Southern states used these discriminatory practices to prevent African Americans from voting. These methods were eventually ruled unconstitutional.

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6. Women were guaranteed the right to vote in ________ when the ________ Amendment was passed.

✔ Answer:
- 1920
- 19th

Explanation:
The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, granted women the right to vote. This was a major milestone in the fight for gender equality in the U.S.

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7. But some ________ women had to wait longer than that. Which state gave women the vote first? When was that?

✔ Answer:
- Native American
- Wyoming
- 1869

Explanation:
While the 19th Amendment granted voting rights to white women, many Native American women were not automatically included. They were often not considered U.S. citizens until later.
However, Wyoming Territory became the first place in the U.S. to grant women the right to vote in 1869 (before it became a state), making it a pioneer in women’s suffrage.

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✔ Final Answers Summary:

| Question | Answer |
|--------|--------|
| 1 | the states |
| 2 | property; England |
| 3 | 1870; vote; African American men |
| 4 | state; Constitution |
| 5 | Poll taxes, Literacy tests, Grandfather clauses |
| 6 | 1920; 19th |
| 7 | Native American; Wyoming; 1869 |

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This worksheet highlights how voting rights evolved over time through both legal changes and constitutional amendments, expanding democracy to include more groups.