We the people. The first three words of the Preamble of the Constitution of the United States
of America. These words make it clear to all readers that in the United States the people are the
foundation and driving force of the government. But which people? Further along, the
Preamble defines them as those who “do ordain and establish this Constitution,” meaning
those who voted to ratify it. For the purposes of ratifying the Constitution in 1787, “people”
was defined as free, white men, meaning no women or people of color were given a voice in
forming the new government. But the Constitution is a living document, constantly amended
and reconsidered as the people and government of the U.S. face challenges the Founding
Fathers could never have imagined. Over the last two centuries, the political definition of
people has changed to reflect the evolving values of the country.
After the Constitution was ratified in 1788, individual States were responsible for determining
who had the right to vote. Based on the belief that only property owners would have a vested
interest in the country and take the responsibility seriously, most states granted voting rights to
free white male property owners over the age of 21.
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The property requirement was the first
aspect of voting restrictions to be amended. Between 1800-1860 most states eliminated it as a
prerequisite, so all white men could vote regardless of their economic standing.
The first change in the definition of the “people” powering the U.S. government came in 1870
in the form of the 15th Amendment, which stated that “the right of citizens of the United States
to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race,
color, or previous condition of servitude,” guaranteeing African American men the right to vote
and participate in the perpetuation and amendment of the Constitution. Fifty years later the
19th Amendment made it illegal to deny the right to vote based on sex, allowing women to join
the ranks of the “people.” Native Americans were granted voting rights in 1924 with the
passage of the Indian Citizenship Act, and the 26th Amendment, passed in 1971, lowered the
legal voting age from 21 to 18, adding more young voters to the “people.”
Of course, being granted the right to vote and actually being able to exercise that right
Explanation:
