What does the Fifteenth Amendment protect?

The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, is primarily focused on ensuring that individuals cannot be denied the right to vote based on their race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This amendment was a crucial part of the Reconstruction Era legislation aimed at securing voting rights for African American men following the Civil War. By specifically addressing race, it sought to eliminate the discriminatory practices that were employed to disenfranchise voters of color.

The other options provided refer to different rights or protections. The right to bear arms is associated with the Second Amendment, while the rights of citizenship are typically tied to the Fourteenth Amendment, which addresses aspects of citizenship and civil rights. Equal protection under the law also relates to the Fourteenth Amendment, specifically its Equal Protection Clause, which ensures that individuals are treated equally by the law. Thus, the correct choice strongly aligns with the core purpose of the Fifteenth Amendment in defending voting rights against racial discrimination.