<span> The Congo was run essentially as a personal fiefdom by the Belgian King Leopold I, who used a great deal of brutality in an effort to essentially extract as much wealth as possible, primarily in the form of rubber, from the colony. Coercive tactics such as mutilation and execution were commonly used in order to ensure compliance. </span>
The main reason that New Mexico faced such difficulty in becoming a state in the 1800s was because Congress was unwilling to accept New Mexico's application for statehood. People were suspicious of the area's inhabitants and their varying background.
This means that people will not follow that law specifically if it is ridiculous or discriminates against a group of people.
They empowered the federal government to prevent voting rights discrimination at the state level; it also resulted in an increased number of minority voters and black participation in the political process.