Which act prohibited literacy tests and empowered the federal government to oversee elections and enforce protections?

Which act prohibited literacy tests and empowered the federal government to oversee elections and enforce protections?

• A. Prohibits literacy tests and empowers federal government to oversee elections and enforce protections
• B. Abolishes literacy tests nationwide
• C. Guarantees voting rights in all states
• D. Creates a federal Elections Commission

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is federal protection of voting rights by removing barriers used to suppress Black voters and ensuring election laws are fair across the country. Literacy tests were a common trap that kept many eligible voters from registering, especially in the South. The act addressed this by prohibiting literacy tests and giving the federal government authority to oversee elections and enforce protections for voters. It also introduced preclearance, meaning changes to voting laws in certain jurisdictions had to be approved by the federal government before taking effect, to prevent backsliding. This description matches the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a landmark civil rights law passed during the Civil Rights Movement and signed by President Johnson. The other options describe different ideas (banning literacy tests nationwide, universal guarantees of voting rights, or creating a federal Elections Commission) that don’t capture the specific combination of outlawing literacy tests and empowering federal oversight to enforce protections.

The main idea here is federal protection of voting rights by removing barriers used to suppress Black voters and ensuring election laws are fair across the country. Literacy tests were a common trap that kept many eligible voters from registering, especially in the South. The act addressed this by prohibiting literacy tests and giving the federal government authority to oversee elections and enforce protections for voters. It also introduced preclearance, meaning changes to voting laws in certain jurisdictions had to be approved by the federal government before taking effect, to prevent backsliding.

This description matches the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a landmark civil rights law passed during the Civil Rights Movement and signed by President Johnson. The other options describe different ideas (banning literacy tests nationwide, universal guarantees of voting rights, or creating a federal Elections Commission) that don’t capture the specific combination of outlawing literacy tests and empowering federal oversight to enforce protections.