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Defining Documents in American History: Voters' Rights
As more and more voters take to the polls to register their support for one candidate or another, or one cause or another, voting rights have come into the spotlight.
A CHOICE Top 75 Community College Resource for March 2025
Popular methods of registering to vote and casting one’s ballot, whether through mail-in or in-person, have been subject to increased scrutiny by those opposed to such common practices in an open democracy. Allegations of voter fraud have been widespread in recent years, even causing a riot in the Capitol in January 2021; and yet proof of such activities remains elusive and has given rise to numerous conspiracy theories. Other controversial issues surrounding voting and voting rights include the way voting districts are drawn by partisan state legislatures, how and by whom political campaigns are financed, what forms of ID should be required when voting, and whether minority voters should be afforded special protections under the law to ensure fair and equal elections.
These and other key topics in the long history of voter rights in the United States are taken up in the present volume. The book ranges from the Founding Era to the present, and examines Constitutional Amendments regarding the vote, the historical struggle for women’s suffrage, heated battles during the Civil Rights Era concerning ballot access and community representation, the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark rulings on voting and elections, and various legislative acts aimed at ensuring a full and accurate vote by all Americans participating in this defining act of democracy.
This volume offers in-depth analysis of forty-five documents, including articles, constitutional documents, court opinions, essays, laws, letters, political tracts, reports, speeches, and testimonies, as well as a checklist from the Americans with Disabilities Act, and an example naturalization test. These selections help define events surrounding the passionate and controversial history of voters’ rights in the United States, including important milestones and landmark court cases.
The material is organized into six categories, each beginning with a brief introduction that examines the importance of the topic through a variety of historical documents:
The six categories include:
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Voting and Dissent in the Early Republic
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Votes for Women!
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Voting Rights and Civil Rights
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Voting Rights and Civil Rights
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Voting Changes in the Modern Era
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Voting in Dispute
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Voting and Political Division Today
Each Historical Document is supported by a critical essay, written by historians, teachers, and researchers, that includes a Summary Overview, Defining Moment, About the Author, Document Analysis, and Essential Themes. An important feature of each essay is a close reading of the primary source that develops broader themes, such as the author’s rhetorical purpose, social or class position, point of view, and other relevant issues. Each essay also includes a section entitled Bibliography and Additional Reading that provides suggestions for further readings and research.
Appendices in this book include:
- Chronological List which arranges all documents by date;
- Web Resources, an annotated list of websites that offer valuable supplemental resources;
- Bibliography lists of helpful articles and books for further study
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