Which of the following is NOT a lon-term trend marking the expansion of suffrage in the U.S.?

a. removing restrictive requirements based on religious belief
b. the Federal Government taking less of a role in protecting suffrage rights
c. eliminating requirements based on race
d. eliminating requirements based on tax payments

Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "US suffrage rights" to get these possible sources:

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment19/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffrage
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-233795/United-States

I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.

The answer is b. "The Federal Government taking less of a role in protecting suffrage rights" is NOT a long-term trend marking the expansion of suffrage in the U.S.

To arrive at this answer, we can examine each of the options one by one.

a. Removing restrictive requirements based on religious belief: This is a long-term trend that has marked the expansion of suffrage in the U.S. Over time, restrictive requirements based on religious belief have been progressively removed, allowing more people to exercise their right to vote.

c. Eliminating requirements based on race: This is another long-term trend in the expansion of suffrage rights. Throughout history, racial barriers to voting, such as Jim Crow laws, poll taxes, and literacy tests, have been challenged and ultimately eliminated, giving more people of all races the right to vote.

d. Eliminating requirements based on tax payments: This is also a long-term trend in the expansion of suffrage rights. Historically, the requirement to pay taxes as a condition for voting has been removed, allowing more citizens to participate in elections.

However, option b. "The Federal Government taking less of a role in protecting suffrage rights" is not a long-term trend in the expansion of suffrage. In fact, the Federal Government has played a vital role in protecting and expanding suffrage rights throughout history. The passage of constitutional amendments, such as the 15th Amendment, 19th Amendment, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, all demonstrate the active role of the Federal Government in safeguarding the right to vote.

To arrive at the answer, you can also conduct research by referring to reliable sources such as Constitutional law cases, articles on suffrage rights, or encyclopedic articles on the topic.