Why was the Voting Rights Act of 1965 necessary? Select the two correct answers.
A.
Each citizen must be ruled by the same laws.
B.
Each citizen must be able to participate in government.
C.
Each citizen must have the protections of the Bill of Rights.
D.
Each citizen must have equal voting power in federal elections.
E.
Each citizen must complete a test or pay a tax to be registered to vote.
The correct answers are B and D. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was necessary because it aimed to ensure that every citizen, regardless of race or ethnicity, had equal access to vote and could participate in government. This was to address the systemic discrimination and disenfranchisement of black voters in the Southern United States that had persisted for decades. Therefore, options B and D are correct. Option A is a general principle, but it does not specifically address the need for voting rights protection. Option C is also a general principle, but the Bill of Rights does not explicitly guarantee voting rights. Option E is incorrect because requiring a test or tax would be a form of voter suppression and would go against the purpose of the Voting Rights Act.
The correct answers are B and D.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was necessary because each citizen must be able to participate in government (B) and have equal voting power in federal elections (D). The Act aimed to eliminate racial discrimination in voting and enforced the 15th Amendment, which prohibits denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. It aimed to give equal voting rights to all citizens, particularly African Americans who faced systematic discrimination and barriers to voting.
Options A, C, and E are not correct because the Act was mainly focused on ensuring equal voting rights and combating racial discrimination, rather than addressing general principles of law, the Bill of Rights, or specific requirements like a test or tax to register to vote.