The Right to Vote

Subject: U.S. History
Duration: 2 Weeks
Grade Level: 11 and 12
Authors: Martha V.J. Bouyer
Keys/Cross-Ref.: American History, English Literature, Civics

Overview:
We march in the name of the Constitution, knowing that the Constitution is on our side. The right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances shall not be abridged. That's the First Amendment.
-Martin Luther King, Jr., ca. 1963

Essential Question:
What is the right to vote really worth?

Objectives:
To understand the significance of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights March

To appreciate the sacrifices that people from across the country made to ensure that all citizens could exercise their constitutional right to vote

National Standards for U.S. History:
Era 6: The development of the Industrial United States (1870-1900)
Standard 2B: The student understands “scientific racism,” race relations, and the struggle for equal rights.
Era 9: Postwar United States (1945 to Early 1970)
Standard 4: The struggle for racial and gender equality and for the extension of civil liberties
Standard 4A: The student understands the “Second Reconstruction” and its advancement of civil rights.
Standard 4C: The student understands the Warren Court’s role in addressing civil liberties and equal rights.

About the Author:
Martha V.J. Bouyer is the Social Studies Supervisor for the Jefferson County Board of Education and served as the project director for Never Lose Sight of Freedom. Bouyer is a 4MAT consultant, a History Alive! coach, and a Classroom Organization and Management Program trainer. She has conducted national and international teacher workshops on Alabama's role in the Modern Civil Rights Movement including eight National Endowment for the Humanities, Landmarks of American History workshops. Bouyer has participated in state, national, and international workshops and conferences on the subjects of civil rights and civic education.