Question

What event precipitated the twenty sixth amendment when many youth protested their lack of choice and freedom to participate in American democracy?

A. Participation of the United States in the Vietnam War
B. Fear of McCarthyism
C. Reaction to the launching of Sputnik by the Soviet Union
D. Reporting of the Watergate scandal

Answer 1

Option (A), The Twenty-Sixth Amendment, lowering the voting age to 18, was influenced by the Vietnam War, as young draftees argued for the right to vote for the leaders deciding on matters of war that directly impacted them.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Twenty-Sixth Amendment, which lowered the voting age in national elections to eighteen, was a direct response to the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War. Many young Americans were drafted and sent to Vietnam despite not having the right to vote for or against the leaders who made such life-altering decisions.

The mantra "old enough to fight, old enough to vote" encapsulated the sentiment of the youth, leading to protests and activism which ultimately precipitated this significant change in American democracy. Thus, when asked which event precipitated the twenty sixth amendment, the answer is A. Participation of the United States in the Vietnam War.