1.3 African Americans earn the right to vote

Read the passage below and answer the question. **Passage:** After the Civil War, many Black Americans wanted to vote. However, some states made it very hard for them. They created tests and asked for money to vote. These rules were called "poll taxes" and "literacy tests." Many Black Americans could not pay the tax or pass the test, so they could not vote. What is a "poll tax"?

• A test about history

• A fee people had to pay to vote

• A law that let everyone vote

• A type of election

Read the passage below and answer the question. **Passage:** In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was passed. This law helped Black Americans vote by stopping unfair rules like literacy tests and poll taxes. What year was the Voting Rights Act passed?

• 1865

• 1965

• 2000

• 1776

Read the passage below and answer the question. **Passage:** Many people worked together to help Black Americans earn the right to vote. They marched, gave speeches, and wrote letters to leaders. Which of the following is a way people helped Black Americans earn the right to vote?

• They ignored the problem

• They marched and gave speeches

• They stopped voting

• They moved to another country

Read the passage below and answer the question. **Passage:** After the Civil War, the 15th Amendment was added to the Constitution. It said that all men could vote, no matter their race. But some states still made it hard for Black Americans to vote. What did the 15th Amendment say?

• Only women could vote

• All men could vote, no matter their race

• Only people who could read could vote

• Only people who owned land could vote

Read the passage below and answer the question. **Passage:** The Voting Rights Act of 1965 helped many Black Americans vote. Before this law, some states used unfair tests to stop them from voting. Which detail from the passage supports the main idea that the Voting Rights Act helped Black Americans vote?

• Some states used unfair tests before the law

• The law was passed in 1965

• The law helped many Black Americans vote

• Some people did not want the law

Read the passage below and answer the question. **Passage:** Black Americans faced many challenges when trying to vote. First, they had to pay a poll tax. Next, they had to pass a reading test. If they could not do these things, they could not vote. What is the correct order of the steps Black Americans had to take to vote, according to the passage?

• Pass a reading test, pay a poll tax

• Pay a poll tax, pass a reading test

• Vote, then pay a poll tax

• Pass a reading test, then vote

Read the passage below and answer the question. **Passage:** The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was important because it stopped unfair rules that kept Black Americans from voting. It made sure everyone could vote, no matter their race. What is the main idea of this passage?

• The Voting Rights Act was passed in 1965

• The Voting Rights Act stopped unfair rules and helped everyone vote

• Some people could not vote before 1965

• Voting is important

Read the passage below and answer the question. **Passage:** After the Civil War, Black Americans wanted to vote. Some states made it hard by creating poll taxes and literacy tests. Over time, people protested and new laws were made to help Black Americans vote. How did the events in the passage lead to Black Americans earning the right to vote?

• People protested, and new laws were made to help them vote

• States made it easier to vote right away

• Black Americans stopped trying to vote

• The Civil War ended voting for everyone

Read the passage below and answer the question. **Passage:** In the 1960s, many people marched in the streets to demand voting rights for Black Americans. These marches showed leaders that the laws needed to change. After seeing the marches, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act. Explain how the marches helped lead to the Voting Rights Act.

• The marches made Congress see that people wanted change, so they passed the law

• The marches stopped people from voting

• The marches made voting harder

• The marches had no effect

Read the passage below and answer the question. **Passage:** Black Americans faced many obstacles to voting, like poll taxes and literacy tests. Over time, people worked together to change these unfair rules. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a big step in making voting fair for everyone. Using details from the passage, explain how the Voting Rights Act of 1965 supported the main idea of making voting fair for everyone.

• It stopped unfair rules like poll taxes and literacy tests, helping everyone have a fair chance to vote

• It made voting harder for some people

• It only helped people in one state

• It did not change any rules