The “virgin vote”: a historian discovers why young Americans once actually voted

In the mid-1800s, politics were indispensable to making friends, becoming an adult, and even getting a girlfriend.

Historian Says Teenagers Were A Coveted Demographic In 19th Century Political Life

Jon Grinspan, a Smithsonian historian, reports in his new book that young people voted en masse in wild and spectacular fashion, and were by far the most coveted demographic in politics.