Chapter 7 Section 1 Changing the Law of the Land

Background Since Bill of Rights, 17 other amendments added Meet the changing needs, times and thoughts – Ex: Only white property owning males allowed to vote. Today, any citizen over 18

Abolishing Slavery The Southern States – Feared collapse of their economy if slave labor was outlawed. Tensions – Missouri Compromise, 1820: divided new lands into “Free” and “Slave” territories. – Dred Scott Court Decision Slave traveled to free state- claimed he was free. Supreme Court ruled that slaves were property & not citizens.

1865 Civil War Ends 13 th Amendment- Abolished slavery

African Americans and the Right to Vote The Fourteenth Amendment, 1868 – All persons born or naturalized in the US qualified for citizenship. – Included African Americans and former slaves. – Did not prevent discrimination. Do Not Write- No state may “deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law” or “ deny to any person …the equal protection of the laws.”

African Americans and the Right to Vote 15 th Amendment, 1870 – Guarantees suffrage for all [male] citizens. 24 th Amendment, 1964 – Outlawed poll taxes or fees for voting – Some states used them to keep minorities from voting.

Women and the Right To Vote For the most part, women had been excluded from full citizenship & rights. Women’s Suffrage Movement, – Seneca Falls convention 19 th Amendment, 1920 – Guaranteed suffrage for women

Youth and the Right to Vote 26 th Amendment, 1971 – Lowered the voting age to 18 – The voting age had previously been 21 – 18 year olds fighting in Vietnam; unfair that they couldn’t vote.

Think About It What do the number of amendments suggest about our government? Because the original document was written around basic principles that have stood the test of time.