Voting Rights

Legislators in 19 states have passed laws that weaken a pillar of democracy: the right to vote. Students examine this legislation and efforts by grassroots groups to protect and extend voting rights. 

Students collectively gain an understanding of a new monument, the artwork, the artist’s intentions, and some of the history influencing the work. 

This lesson invites students to examine reasons why Americans may not vote, both in the past and in the present. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the struggle for voting rights and will explore why the ability to vote means so much to many Americans.

Students explore the controversy over the Trump administration's proposal to add a question about citizenship to the census —  and learn about the history and purpose of the U.S. census.

Critics charge that the real goal of a new federal commission to investigate voter fraud is to justify efforts to make it more difficult for people of color to vote.  Students learn about and discuss the controversy.  

In some states, voters have stood in line for hours to cast their ballot. Why? In this short Teachable Instant activity, students explore the controversy over voter suppression in the 2016 election.  

Students discuss the history of voting rights and the current push to restrict voting, including the arguments for and against.

One student reading traces the orgins of the Voting Rights Act; a second discusses the recent Supreme Court decision limiting the Act's scope when it comes to drawing voter district lines.