1. B: The Twenty-sixth Amendment lowered the voting age to 18, requiring states to allow 18-year-old citizens to vote.
2. C: By amending the Constitution, the new minimum voting age of 18 became constitutional.
3. E: The amendment allowed males to vote at the same age they could be drafted into the military (18).
Supplemental Knowledge:
On July 1, 1971, the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, which reduced voting age from 21 to 18. This change was motivated by arguments that 18-year-olds who could be conscripted to fight wars such as Vietnam should also have access to vote.
Correct Statements:
B: The primary effect of the Twenty-sixth Amendment was that it required all states to allow citizens who are at least 18 years old to vote in federal, state, and local elections.
C: By amending the Constitution, it established that setting the minimum voting age at 18 was constitutionally protected, ensuring uniformity across all states.
E: One of the driving forces behind lowering the voting age was that young men who were eligible for military draft at age 18 should also have a say in electing leaders and shaping policies through voting.
Incorrect Statements:
A. This statement is incorrect because naturalized citizens already had the right to vote prior to this amendment, provided they met other eligibility requirements such as residency and age.
D. This statement is incorrect because the amendment applied equally to all citizens regardless of gender, lowering the voting age for both males and females to 18.
Practical Insights:
This amendment highlights broader societal changes and movements toward greater inclusivity within democratic processes, underlining how legal reform can respond to social pressures as well as ethical considerations about fairness and representation.
Modern debates regarding voter rights center on providing fair access for all eligible voters, reflecting ongoing attempts at aligning democratic practices with evolving societal values.
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