11. The Twenty-Sixth Amendment: Lowering the Voting Age to 18
The Twenty-Sixth Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, a change driven by the Vietnam War era’s rallying cry: “old enough to fight, old enough to vote.” Ratified in 1971, it empowered millions of young Americans to participate in democracy. This amendment parallels youth suffrage movements around the globe, reflecting a broader recognition of young people’s role in shaping society and holding governments accountable. Details
