For most of U.S. history, both citizenship and voting rights have been denied to the majority. It is only recently that the right to vote became universal in the United States.

232 years ago --- The first presidential election was held. Each state had laws restricting voting within its borders. Across the country, only white men were able to vote. Most states had restictions based on land ownership and religious affiliation. In the first presidential election, only white land-owning Protestant men were able to vote. 

231 years ago --- The Naturalization Act of 1790 establishes who can become a naturalized citizen of the United States. Citizenship is limited to "free white persons of good character." Citizenship is inextricably linked to voting rights, and this law prevented Asian immigrants, indentured servants, slaves, and Native Americans (among others) from becoming citizens, let alone voting.

193 years ago --- The last state removed its law restricting voting rights by religious affiliation. All white Jewish and Catholic land-owning men in the United States had the right to vote.

165 years ago --- The last state removed its land ownership requirement. After 67 years, all white men in the United States gained the right to vote.

151 years ago --- Through the 15th Amendment, African American men gained the right to vote. From the Amendment's ratification in 1870 until around 1890, there was a brief period in which African American men were able to vote and be elected to congress. After 1890. however, states adopted voter suppression laws that made voting practically impossible for most African Americans.

103 years ago --- Through the 19th Amendment, women gained the right to vote. This Amendment allowed white and African American women to vote - Asian and Native Americans were still disenfranchised.

97 years ago --- The Snyder Act of 1924 gave citizenship to Native Americans born in the United States. However, most state constitutions barred Native Americans from voting, and Native Americans faced the same voter suppression laws as African Americans.

69 years ago --- The McCarran–Walter Act of 1952 repealed the "free white persons" restriction of the Naturalization Act of 1790, allowing Asians living in the United States to gain citizenship for the first time.

59 years ago --- The last state removed its legal barriers preventing Native Americans from voting.

56 years ago --- The Voting Rights Act was passed. The Voting Rights Act guaranteed all Americans the right to vote. At this point, all Americans legally had the right to vote. The Voting Rights Act enforced voting rights, getting rid of literacy tests, poll taxes, and other systems used to disenfranchise voters.

8 years ago --- The United States Supreme Court struck down key sections of the Voting Rights Act, which has allowed states to pass laws restricting voting access (such as voter ID laws). In the years since, the Supreme Court also ruled that laws that have a disproportionate impact on a racial minority are constitutional.