What did the 15th Amendment guarantee?

The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, specifically guarantees the right to vote for all citizens regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This amendment was a crucial part of the Reconstruction Amendments and aimed to ensure that African American men, in particular, could participate in the democratic process following the Civil War.

The importance of this amendment lies in its role in extending the franchise to those who had been historically disenfranchised. Despite its ratification, many states employed various methods such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and other means to circumvent the amendment and effectively suppress voting rights for African Americans, leading to ongoing struggles for civil rights.

The other options pertain to different rights not associated with the 15th Amendment. The right to a free press relates to the First Amendment, while freedom of speech is also a First Amendment guarantee. Protection against double jeopardy is covered by the Fifth Amendment. Thus, the correct answer is focused solely on voting rights, emphasizing the significance of the 15th Amendment in American history.