The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified on August 18, 1920, granted women the right to vote by prohibiting the United States and its states from denying or abridging the right to vote on the basis of sex. This amendment legally guaranteed American women suffrage after decades of activism, protest, and political struggle

. The exact text of the amendment states:
"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

The amendment was the result of a long campaign that began in the mid-19th century, involving lectures, marches, lobbying, and civil disobedience by suffragists. It marked a significant change in the American electorate, although full enfranchisement for all women, including many minority women, took further decades to achieve

. In summary, the 19th Amendment ensured women's constitutional right to vote in the United States, fundamentally expanding democratic participation and advancing women's rights