What did the 15th Amendment accomplish?

• A. It granted women the right to vote
• B. It abolished poll taxes
• C. It prohibited racial discrimination in voting
• D. It ended slavery

Answer: (C)

The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, specifically prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." This was a crucial step in the post-Civil War era to ensure that African American men, who had been granted citizenship through the 14th Amendment, would have the legal right to participate in the electoral process. The intention of the amendment was to overcome the systemic barriers that had been used to disenfranchise Black voters, particularly in the Southern states.

While women's suffrage is an important topic connected to the broader struggle for civil rights, the right to vote for women was not addressed until the 19th Amendment in 1920. The abolition of poll taxes was achieved later, with the 24th Amendment in 1964, which aimed to remove financial barriers that were used to restrict voting rights. Moreover, the end of slavery is associated with the 13th Amendment, which was ratified in 1865, prior to the 15th Amendment. Each of these amendments contributed to the ongoing struggle for civil rights, but the 15th Amendment specifically focused on racial discrimination in voting.