What is the Nineteenth Amendment

• Steven Topazio wrote this September 25, 2024 at 4:14 pm

The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified on August 18, 1920, granted women the right to vote. It was a significant milestone in the women’s suffrage movement.

The text of the Nineteenth Amendment reads:

Section 1: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

Section 2: “Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”

Key points of the Nineteenth Amendment include:

Voting Rights for Women: It prohibits the federal government and the states from denying or abridging the right to vote based on sex, effectively granting women the right to vote.

Enforcement Power: It gives Congress the authority to enact legislation to enforce the amendment’s provisions.

The Nineteenth Amendment marked a crucial step toward gender equality in the United States, ensuring that women had the same voting rights as men and significantly expanding the electorate. It was the culmination of decades of activism and advocacy by the women’s suffrage movement.