The draft is a way of making sure that there are enough people in the military to continue fighting a war. Remember, all male citizens have to register with Selective Service when they turn 18. When a draft begins, a birthday is selected at random. All men with that birthday on the Selective Service list get a letter telling them to report to the nearest Army recruitment station. From there, they will be enlisted in the U.S  military, whether they want to or not. If someone failed to report or refused to join, they could go to jail. 

Congress and the president authorize the draft. Then, the draft process starts. It also required Congress and the president  stop the draft.

Many people believed that it was not fair for men to be forced to join the military. Others questioned whether problems in Vietnam were really problems that the United States needed to be involved in. People also believed that it was unfair that a person could be drafted at 18, but could not vote until they were 21. After all, if we don't like laws that are passed by Congress and the president, we can always vote for other representatives. However, many of the people these laws were affecting did not have the power to vote. They were old enough to serve their country, but not old enough to vote.

Due to pressures from protests relating to the draft and Vietnam, amendment 26 was ratified in 1971. This lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, where it remains today. Shortly after, in 1973, Congress voted to stop the draft as well.