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Politics : Just the Facts, Ma'am: A Compendium of Liberal Fiction
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To: Arthur Radley who wrote (70926)4/7/2009 10:59:04 PM
From: Sully-1 Recommendation  Read Replies (1) of 90947
 
1857 MINNESOTA CONSTITUTION WRITTEN

Let's begin at the beginning -- of Minnesota's entry into the Union. Minnesota became part of the United States as the Minnesota Territory in 1849, and eight years later, Minnesotans drafted a Constitution. Well, actually, two constitutions, one written by Republicans and one by Democrats. A major point of contention: whether black males should have the right to vote. Republicans argued yes, but Democrats strongly disagreed, and the only way to break this deadlock and allow Minnesota to become a state was a compromise. So Republicans and Democrats agreed that the constitution would prohibit slavery and guarantee religious freedom, but while everyone could worship as they chose, only white males would be allowed to vote. But, as part of the compromise, the Constitution would be easy to change -- allowing Republicans to come back and amend it in the future. That they did, coming back time and again to raise the issue of non white suffrage. In 1868, ten years after Minnesota became a state and three years after the end of the Civil War, they finally succeeded ing passing an Amendment to Minnesota's Constitution. Minnesota thus became one of the few states to voluntarily extend voting rights to blacks -- two years before the 15th amendment to the U.S. Constitution would mandate non-white suffrage.

humanrights.state.mn.us
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