ORELA Social Studies Content Practice Test

The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1870, specifically prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on their race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This amendment was a crucial step in the post-Civil War era aimed at ensuring that African American men, in particular, could exercise their right to vote.

Understanding the context of the amendment, it was a response to the systemic disenfranchisement of Black citizens and aimed to pave the way for greater equality in voting rights. While other options mention different categories such as age, economic status, and gender, these are addressed by other amendments. For example, the 19th Amendment guarantees women the right to vote, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 further reinforced these protections against racial discrimination. Thus, the selection correctly identifies that the 15th Amendment's primary focus is on race, making it an essential element of American civil rights history.