The Constitution of the United States did not originally define who had the right to vote. That determination was left up to the states, and in the majority of states at that time, only white male property owners had the right to vote. Women, people of color, and white males who did not own property had no say-so in the election of government officials. Not all voting rules were the same throughout the states, however, so this made for an interesting electorate. For example, in New Jersey, a white woman could vote if she owned property, and in some northern states, free men of color could vote. Luckily, the framers of the Constitution had the foresight to build into it a means to rectify unjust situations by allowing for the addition of amendments, or additions, to the Constitution. Through amendments, women and free people of color were eventually guaranteed the right to vote.

How does the author use rhetoric to advance her purpose in Paragraph 2?

The author creates a vivid image by using sensory details to describe the people who formerly could not vote.

The author gains credibility by demonstrating that her stance on voter participation is grounded in research.

The author directly addresses the reader by citing a document that is widely known.

The author uses an allusion by recalling the struggles of the founding fathers of the United States.