Vote!: The History of Voting Rights in the United States

Abraham Lincoln once said, "the ballot is stronger than the bullet." The history of voting rights in the United States is full of struggle, as many Americans have had to fight to gain their rights in a democratic society. In this class, we will explore United States history from colonial times to present, uncovering the many ways American citizens were prevented from voting and ongoing struggle for the right to vote. Each week we will discuss a different time period and explore which Americans were included and excluded from voting during that time. We will also delve into the why behind this exclusion. Why have people been prevented from voting for so long? How has this injustice impacted the United States and the representation in our democracy? We will also discuss the methods used to prevent people from voting, including challenges to voting rights that occur even today. 

Each week we will examine the following questions for our time period of study:

* Who was allowed to vote during this time period?
* Who was prevented from voting during this time period?
* What reasons were given for this exclusion?
* What methods were used to prevent Americans from voting?
* How did denying people the right to vote impact the United States and the individuals who were denied this opportunity?
* How did marginalized groups organize and fight for their right to vote at this time?

The schedule and time periods covered in our class include:

Week One: Colonial America and the New Nation
Week Two: The Early 1800s, Jacksonian Democracy, gerrymandering and Seneca Falls
Week Three: The Reconstruction Amendments, Jim Crow Laws, and Immigration
Week Four: The Progressive Movement and Women's Suffrage
Week Five: The Civil Rights Movement and Voting Rights Act
Week Six: Who has a say today? The challenges of voting rights in the 21st Century

We will explore these topics through images, primary sources, teacher led discussion and more. My goal is to make this content accessible and interesting for all learners. This is heavy stuff, so having some fun as we learn is important. A combination lecture and open discussion is my favorite way to teach. Students are encouraged to contribute to share their thoughts through discussion or by typing in the chat box. Don’t worry there is no pressure to share if you are not feeling it. Often great questions or comments help to change the direction of our class or get us further into these fascinating subjects!

While no prior knowledge of voting rights is needed, some knowledge of US history is helpful, but not required. Due to the topic of this course, subjects such as racism, sexism, prejudice and discrimination will be part of the conversation. Please see the parental guidance section for more information. 

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Interested in this class but need a different time? Feel free to send me a message with a time request. I do my best to meet parent requests if I am able to do so. Another option is the flex version of this class. Flex courses are self paced and learners can login to watch video lectures, explore notes and resources and complete assignments whenever they have the time. For more information about the flex version of this class, please send me a message. 

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Is your learner younger or older than the age range but interested in the course? Please send me a message and we can chat to see if this class would be a good fit for your child.