Which act prohibited literacy tests and other discriminatory practices at the polls?

Which act prohibited literacy tests and other discriminatory practices at the polls?

• A. Civil Rights Act of 1964
• B. Equal Voting Rights Act
• C. Voting Rights Act of 1965
• D. 24th Amendment

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is how laws were used to remove the barriers that kept Black citizens from voting. Literacy tests and similar hurdles were a common tactic to disenfranchise voters. The act in question directly attacked that problem by prohibiting literacy tests and other discriminatory requirements for registering to vote or casting a ballot. It also gave federal authorities power to oversee and enforce voting rights, including removing or blocking changes to voting laws in places with a history of discrimination. That direct targeting of the blocking tools at the polls is what makes this act the right answer. While the Civil Rights Act of 1964 addressed discrimination in many areas, it did not specifically eliminate literacy tests at the polls. The 24th Amendment prohibits poll taxes in federal elections (and later, other rulings extended voting protections more broadly). The option that’s not a real law is merely a distractor.

The main idea being tested is how laws were used to remove the barriers that kept Black citizens from voting. Literacy tests and similar hurdles were a common tactic to disenfranchise voters. The act in question directly attacked that problem by prohibiting literacy tests and other discriminatory requirements for registering to vote or casting a ballot. It also gave federal authorities power to oversee and enforce voting rights, including removing or blocking changes to voting laws in places with a history of discrimination. That direct targeting of the blocking tools at the polls is what makes this act the right answer.

While the Civil Rights Act of 1964 addressed discrimination in many areas, it did not specifically eliminate literacy tests at the polls. The 24th Amendment prohibits poll taxes in federal elections (and later, other rulings extended voting protections more broadly). The option that’s not a real law is merely a distractor.