Question

Which argument led most directly to the passage of the twenty-sixth amendment?

Answer 1

The correct answer is If 18-year-olds can fight in Vietnam, they should be able to vote.

By tradition, young Americans had to be at least 21 years old to vote. But that changed with the Twenty-Sixth Amendment. Literally, it provides, “The right of citizens of the United States, who are 18 years of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of age.”  

This amendment prohibits the states of the U.S. discrimination among voters due to age. Now, young Americans can vote at 18 years old.

The reason to lower the voting age was that during the 1960s, motivated mainly by the military draft into the U.S. Army to fight in Vietnam, student activism organizations protested. They argue that if they were old enough to go to war, they should be able to vote.

On March 23, 1971, both houses of Congress voted for a proposal to lower the voting age to 18 years old. The amendment is part of the Constitution since July 1, 1971.

Answer 2

If 18-year-olds can fight in Vietnam, they should be able to vote.