What significant political event happened in 1870 regarding voting rights in the United States?

In 1870, the ratification of the 15th Amendment was a significant milestone in the history of voting rights in the United States. This amendment aimed to protect the voting rights of African American men by prohibiting 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 key moment in advancing civil rights following the Civil War, as it granted a constitutional guarantee for black men to participate in the electoral process.

The passing of the 15th Amendment marked a major step forward in the fight for equality and was part of the broader Reconstruction era efforts to integrate formerly enslaved individuals into American society. It laid the groundwork for future civil rights advancements, even though many measures, such as literacy tests and poll taxes, were later enacted to circumvent these rights.

In contrast, women's suffrage, while significant, did not achieve a constitutional amendment until 1920 with the 19th Amendment. The Voting Rights Act, a landmark piece of legislation, was passed much later in 1965 to enforce the voting rights guaranteed by the 15th Amendment and remove barriers for voters. Lowering the voting age to 18 occurred with the ratification of the 26