Voting-Related Events
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General Events
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1776-1789—Revolutionary Era
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1787—U.S. Constitution leaves rules about voting rights to the states
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1789—U.S. Constitution adopted
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1812-1821—10 states eliminate property requirements for voting
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1819—Maine constitution grants right to vote to Native Americans who pay taxes
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1840-1847—More states eliminate property restrictions; restrictions on Catholics and non-Christians also eliminated
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1846-1848—U.S.-Mexican War results in U.S. acquisition of the far West; Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo declares that Mexican residents of the new territory can choose to become U.S. citizens
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1848—Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
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1848—First Woman’s Rights Convention at Seneca Falls, where the Declaration of Sentiments calls for woman suffrage
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1869—Women get the right to vote in Wyoming territory
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1861-1865—Civil War
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1870—15th Amendment
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1873—Trial of Susan B. Anthony for voting in 1872 presidential election
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1865-1877—Reconstruction
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1875—Minor v. Happersett, in which U.S. Supreme Court denied that the 14th Amendment gave women the right to vote
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1879—Standing Bear Trial, recognized Indians as persons with rights
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1887—Dawes Act, offered citizenship to Native Americans who accepted allotments
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1890-1910—Women granted the right to vote in 11 western states and territories
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1910—National American Woman Suffrage Association organized
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1915—In Guinn v. United States, Supreme Court struck down the use of grandfather clauses to restrict voting
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1914-1918—World War I
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1916—Organization of the National Woman’s Party, which used militant tactics to advance the cause of woman suffrage
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1919—American Indian Citizenship Act granted rights to Native Americans who served in World War I
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1920—19th Amendment ratified.
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1924—The Indian Citizenship Act granted Native Americans full citizenship rights, including the right to vote
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1929—League of United Latin American Citzens (LULAC) organized
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Late 1930s—Maine, which had ignored its own constitutional provision allowing Native Americans to vote, complied with the Indian Citizenship Act
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1941-1945 World War II
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1948—Arizona Supreme Court struck down a state law prohibiting Native Americans from voting
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1962—New Mexico became the last state to enfranchise Native Americans
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1956-1965?—Civil Rights Movement
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1964—Freedom Summer, a massive voter registration drive in the South
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1964—24th Amendment invalidated the use of poll taxes in federal elections
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1965?-1973—Vietnam War
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1965—Voting Rights Act
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1970—26th Amendment granted right to vote to 18-21 year-olds
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1974—Southwest Voter Registration Education Project founded by Willie Velasquez (Su Vota es Su Voz)
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1975—Congress extended the Voting Rights Act to apply to the Hispanic, Native American, and Asian voters
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1992—National Coalition for the Homeless begins sponsorship of “You Don’t Need A Home to Vote” campaign
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1994—National Voter Registration Act (motor voter law)
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