This year's National History Day theme is Rights and Responsibilities. I chose to research The Fifteenth Amendment.

This amendment states, "The right of citi ens of the !nited "tates to #ote shall not be denied or abridged by the !nited "tates or by any "tate on acco$nt of race, color, or pre#io$s condition of ser#it$de." %ith the addition of the Fifteenth Amendment to the !nited "tates &onstit$tion, the rights of African Americans 'ere greatly e(panded. This amendment ga#e e#ery African American the right to #ote 'itho$t e(ception, made e#ery man in America e)$al $nder the la', and e(panded their citi enship. I tho$ght of this idea beca$se I li*e learning abo$t American history so I tho$ght this 'as perfect for me. +y topic relates to the national theme beca$se colored men recei#ed their right to #ote and no' they recei#ed the responsibilities of #oting. I ended $p participating in History Day beca$se history and America are interesting to learn abo$t.

In my research I came across some so$rces, li*e political cartoons, on Harp %ee*. There I also fo$nd ne'spaper articles dating bac* to that time in history. I researched other reliable so$rces thro$gh the comp$ter and in boo*s. I thin* my most #al$able reso$rce is all the political cartoons I fo$nd d$ring my research. They ga#e me an image of ho' some aspects of life 'ere then and 'hat changes 'ere happening at the time. At first after choosing this topic, I 'as not able to find m$ch information 'ith #ery fe' so$rces. Then I perse#ered and 'as able to find a s$fficient amo$nt.

I gathered all my research notes and decided to $se the most cr$cial information li*e the political cartoons and dates that seemed important. I assembled my History Fair entry by piecing all the parts I fo$nd d$ring my research together. I had to o#ercome some problems li*e the initial lac* of information I fo$nd. &oming across Harp %ee* 'hich pro#ided the ne'spaper clippings and cartoons sol#ed that problem.

It is important to st$dy abo$t The Fifteenth Amendment beca$se it teaches abo$t h$man e)$ality, and it 'as and still is #ery important to America. This topic is significant to history beca$se it ga#e colored men the right to #ote and for the first time made them e)$al to 'hite men as citi ens $nder the la'. ,earning abo$t The Fifteenth Amendment has been a #al$able learning e(perience for me.

The Fifteenth Amendment made America a more e)$al place and ga#e e#ery male citi en in America a say in 'ho r$ns the co$ntry, b$t the str$ggle for complete e)$ality 'as far from o#er. Immediately after the ratification, the #oting booth 'or*ers fo$nd loopholes in the amendment and made African Americans ta*e literacy tests, 'hich most failed. D$e to this, African Americans 'ere still not able to #ote e#en tho$gh they techni)$ally had the right. The -oting Rights Act of ./01 sol#ed this problem. The Fifteenth Amendment is still in affect today beca$se all citi ens are still able to cast their #ote.