Voting Rights Text Features

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Date:

📖 Reading Passage: The Fight for Voting Rights

The Long Road to Equal Voting

For many years in American history, not everyone could vote. The right to vote was limited to certain groups of people, while others were denied this important freedom.

African Americans and Voting

After the Civil War ended in 1865, the 15th Amendment was passed in 1870. This amendment said that African American men could vote. However, many states found ways to prevent African Americans from voting. They used unfair tests, taxes, and threats. It wasn't until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that African Americans truly gained equal voting rights.

Native Americans' Struggle

Native Americans faced their own challenges. Even though they were the first people to live in America, they were not considered citizens for a long time. The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 finally gave Native Americans the right to vote, but some states still tried to stop them from voting until the 1960s.

Women's Fight for the Vote

Women could not vote in most places until 1920. Suffragettes were brave women who fought for voting rights. They held protests, gave speeches, and some were even arrested. Their hard work paid off when the 19th Amendment was passed, giving women the right to vote.

🔍 Part 1: Text Features Questions

1. How many headings are in this text?

2. Which words are in bold in the first paragraph?

not everyone

denied

important

freedom

3. What is the main heading of this text?

4. Why do you think the author made certain words bold?

To make the text look pretty

To show important words and ideas

To make it harder to read

To fill up space

5. List two dates that are mentioned in bold in the text:

Date 1: _______________

Date 2: _______________

✏️ Part 2: Comprehension and Analysis

6. Which group got voting rights first after the Civil War?

Women

African American men

Native Americans

All groups at the same time

7. What were suffragettes?

8. How do the headings help you understand this text better?

9. Extension Activity: Choose one group mentioned in the text and write two more sentences about their voting rights struggle. Use at least one bold word.