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Archive: October 2012 (8 Posts)

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

Voting Rights for Women

Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

The original Constitution of the United States was nearly mute on voting rights, ceding them to the states to determine. This, the second of two posts exploring the struggles of two groups to gain full voting rights, will take a look at the long road toward the full enfranchisement of women.

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

Voting Rights – The Full Enfranchisement of African Americans

Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

The original Constitution of the United States was nearly mute on voting rights, ceding them to the states to determine. The 15th Amendment to the Constitution confers voting rights on African Americans, declaring that “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 race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

Path to the Presidency: Catching the Voter’s Eye

Posted by: Danna Bell

Campaign posters, buttons and other ephemera are not new. Prior to the advent of radio, television and the internet, candidates used campaign signs, buttons, ribbons, light shades and banners to reach out to voters who might not have been able to come to a speech or access a newspaper. The Library of Congress has made many of these unique artifacts available online.

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

The Spanish Missions in Texas

Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

Along the San Antonio River, you can find these gothic and Romanesque style buildings which house a rich history for Hispanic Americans all over the world. Studying these missions using primary sources from the Library of Congress is one way to help students learn about some of the contributions of Hispanics in America.