Citizenship · Rights and Responsibilities

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was important because it:

Correct answer

Prohibited discriminatory voting practices that had been used to prevent African Americans from voting — particularly in the Southern states; it enforced the 15th Amendment's guarantee of voting rights regardless of race

  1. A Created the Electoral College
  2. B Prohibited discriminatory voting practices that had been used to prevent African Americans from voting — particularly in the Southern states; it enforced the 15th Amendment's guarantee of voting rights regardless of race
  3. C Gave women the right to vote
  4. D Lowered the voting age to 18

Why this is the answer

The VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965 was landmark civil rights legislation signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the Civil Rights Movement. Although the 15th Amendment (1870) had technically guaranteed the right to vote regardless of race, Southern states had systematically disenfranchised Black voters through poll taxes, literacy tests, grandfather clauses, and intimidation. The Voting Rights Act prohibited these practices and provided federal oversight of elections in areas with a history of discrimination. It is considered one of the most effective civil rights laws in US history. USCIS questions on civil rights connect to broader themes of American history and the ongoing expansion of voting rights.
Source: USCIS Civics — Civil Rights Legislation