Why did Southern states use poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses as Reconstruction came to an end? Responses to keep poor white Southerners from voting to keep poor white Southerners from voting - no response given to maintain Republican control of state governments to maintain Republican control of state governments - no response given to keep African Americans from voting
These measures were implemented to disenfranchise African Americans and keep them from gaining political power in the South. Poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses were all designed to disproportionately affect African Americans and prevent them from exercising their right to vote. The Southern states sought to maintain white supremacy and control over the political landscape by limiting the voting rights of African Americans and poor white Southerners.
