Question

2 Points

Why were Southerners successful in using literacy tests to keep African
Americans from voting?

Answer 1

After the civil war, slavery was deemed illegal in the US. However, many southern sympathizer did not support the new amendments(13,14,15) so they used literacy test. Majority of those who were enslaved, were not given education in fear of the slaves one day being superior than their masters. Because the slaves were unable to read and write, they could not have passed the literacy test and thus unable to vote.

Answer 2

Many African Americans, while slaves, had not learned how to read.