( CNN Student News ) -- Students will learn about the champions of voting rights in the United States . Procedure . Guide a discussion in your classroom about the importance of suffrage , or the right to vote . Point out to your students that initially , only white male property owners could vote in the United States , but that amendments to the Constitution and federal legislation gradually removed barriers to voting . Direct your students to the CNN Student News One-Sheet : Right to Vote , and have each student select a suffrage milestone from the list . Have students research the history of their milestones using the Internet and other sources . Pose the following questions to guide students ' research : . Have each student draw upon his or her research to assume the role of one of the champions in the fight for suffrage . Instruct students to either deliver a first-person account defending a disenfranchised group 's right to vote , or present a written editorial supporting the group 's cause . Extension : . Challenge your students to use original video , music , animation and other production elements to create their own `` Talking Democracy '' iReports that creatively explain or demonstrate the right to vote . The videos should be three minutes or less in length and can be submitted here . The best videos may appear on CNN Student News ! Correlated Standards . CIVICS . I . What Are The Foundations Of The American Political System ? 1 . The American idea of constitutional government . 7 . Fundamental values and principles . 8 . Conflicts among values and principles in American political and social life . 9 . Disparities between ideals and reality in American political and social life . V. What Are The Roles Of The Citizen In American Democracy ? 1 . The meaning of citizenship . 2 . Becoming a citizen . 4 . Political rights . 8 . Civic responsibilities . The National Standards for Civics and Government ( http : //www.civiced.org/index.php ? page=stds ) are published by the Center for Civic Education ( http : //www.civiced.org/ ) . Keywords . suffrage , Constitution , voting rights E-mail to a friend .
You will learn about the champions of voting rights in the United States .