The early colonists developed various forms of self-government. By the time of the Revolution, distinctly American ideas about what a government should do for its people led to an experiment in democracy. This would leave one to believe that those early forms of self-government were also democratic in nature. To what extent do you see evidence of democracy in the colonies? Focus your attention on the following colonies:
Plymouth
Massachusetts
Virginia
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The various forms of self-government created by the early colonists were democratic in nature; this was evident in the colonies of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Virginia.
ReplyDeleteEvidence of democracy in Plymouth was evident in 1620 when the voyagers on the Mayflower signed The Mayflower Compact, a document that made them vow to make decisions by the will of the majority. Democracy was evident once again in 1640, when New England faced adversity with the Native Americans, the Dutch, and the French. Since the civil war was being fought in England, assistance from the English would be negligible. Realizing that they would be stronger together than alone, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, and New Haven created an alliance known as The New England Confederation.
One of the American democratic institutions was founded in the Massachusetts Bay colony- the town meeting. At this meeting, every free male church member voiced their opinion and the will of the majority was adhered to. Also in the colony, all free male members of the Puritan Church had the right to participate in the elections of the colony’s governor, his assistants, and a representative assembly.
In 1619, the Virginia colonists organized the first representative assembly in America, the House of Burgesses. Twenty-two members made up the House of Burgesses; the governor, who was appointed by the company officials in London; the governor’s council, six citizens selected by the governor; and the representatives, who were the burgesses. The House of Burgesses made laws for the colony, but it could be subject to veto by the governor, council, and by the directors in London.
Before the original thirteen colonies formed the United States of America based on democratic ideals, Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Virginia’s early forms of self-government had several traces of democracy. Democracy, a form of government characterized by formal equality of rights and privileges, first appeared in small amounts through the Mayflower Compact, the Virginia House of Burgesses, and the New England Confederation.
ReplyDeleteThe colonies of Virginia, Plymouth, and Massachusetts revealed democratic beliefs through the ways in which they controlled their colony: a constitution-like document, majority rule, a confederation based on protecting rights, or a representative assembly. Pilgrims establishing the Plymouth in 1620 knew what it meant to be persecuted for their beliefs and have little say in government, so, when they set out to write the Mayflower Compact, representing the majority of colonists’ opinions became a priority and the primary form of decision making. Massachusetts had a form of decision making similar to that of Plymouth in that all free male members of the Puritan church had the legal right to participate in the elections for the colony’s representatives. Though it was not a colonial government, the New England Confederation (made up of four colonies including Plymouth and Massachusetts) displayed democracy by uniting for the common goal of protecting the colonists’ rights from Indian attacks and land distribution among colonies and colonists. Jamestown, Virginia, supported the democratic tendencies that colonists felt by governing with the House of Burgesses, a group of people voted on by the colonists to rule the colony in a representative assembly. Because royal control influenced a colony’s government, a true democratic government was not able to form, but democracy was still able to leak out through documents and decision-making bodies and would eventually unite the colonies together.
During the age of early America, England allowed the colonies to establish a form of self-government. These forms of government relate to the characteristics of a democracy. In terms of definition, a democracy is the participation of all the people in the making of government policy. The three colonies, Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Virginia, show evidence of these characteristics which foreshadows the way America's government is today.
ReplyDeletePlymouth's method of government involved the actions of majority rule. In 1620, while traveling on the Mayflower, the pilgrims drew up and signed a document that pledged them to make decisions by the will of majority. This was called the Mayflower compact. This method represented evidence of a democracy because everyone "participated" in establishing the powers and duties of the government.
Another factor that defines democracy is the right to which members of the colonial assemblies can be represented in the law making process. in 1619, the colony of Virginia organized the first representative assembly in America, the House of Burgesses.
Massachusetts also took democratic actions. All free men could participate in yearly elections of the colony's governor, his assistants, and a representative assembly. However, there were some limitations to their democracy. Females and those who were landless had fewer rights than male property owners. Also Massachusetts took part in antidemocratic actions such as slavery and mistreatment to the Native Americans.
America’s political roots can be traced back to the earliest days of settlement when Virginia and Massachusetts were just colonies and Plymouth wasn’t just a rock the pilgrims landed on, but a colony as well. The way these three colonies ran their government gave a paradigm to follow when it created its own nation.
ReplyDelete1676, Sir William Berkley is the royal governor of Virginia. He makes his decisions in favor of the large tobacco planters, but does nothing to help the small farmers on the western frontier with the pugnacious Natives who relentlessly attack their farms. It was Nathaniel Bacon who, outraged with his government for protecting him as a citizen, who rallied up other farmers who shared his sentiments and took matters into his own hands. He began to raid Native’s villages and even began to take on Berkley’s own forces with the rag tag army he commanded. Bacon won some battles against Berkley, but when Bacon died and his army of farmers fell apart, it was Berkley who had the final say so. Even though Bacon failed at his personal mission, Bacon’s Rebellion highlighted a fundamental American idea: If you don’t like the way your government is running things, you have a right to do your best to change it.
Massachusetts had a more democratic system than Virginia, but it was still a system limited to a few who had wealth. Massachusetts colonists were able to vote in a yearly election to decide the governor, the governor’s assistants, and a full legislative assembly. The only catch was that you had to be a free white, land-owning male that was part of the established Puritan Church. This limited democracy excluded women, the landless, indentured servants, and the slaves from any political process. The added stipulation of having to be a member of the Puritan Church also excluded those of another protestant denomination and the Catholics. Even though the settlers may not have had the perfect democratic government, it was a start that would continue on into becoming a true democracy as we know today.
Plymouth differs from Mass and Virginia in the fact that they were able to agree to and draft an early constitution for their colony. The Mayflower Compact, named after the ship they arrived on, stated all decisions would be made by will of majority. It also established powers and duties of the government. The document was signed by almost all the free men aboard the ship and even a few indentured servants as well. With this document the settlers of Plymouth were able to have a democratic society of their own that worked for them instead of against them.Although it is not certain, this document might have also served as an example for the Articles of Confederation that would later become the Constitution of the United States.
In the new world, colonies had to be governed by something and/or someone, so slowly, governments began to form. The Plymouth settlers created the Mayflower Compact, which "represented both an early form of colonial self-government and an early form of written constitution, establishing the powers and duties of the government." Shortly thereafter, the first representative assembly, the House of Burgesses, was formed in Virginia.
ReplyDeleteEven as these more professional bodies of government began to form, not everyone was considered fit to make important decisions. "Only male property owners could cote for representatives. Those who were either female or landless had few rights, slaves and indentured servants had practically none at all." Currently, in all three colonies, the white male was the only option for virtually everything. They got to make all of the decisions and were the ones elected in these votes, thus giving the white male control over virtually everything in his colony. People were still making decisions, granted, but though these decisions were a bit biased and closed-minded, everyone had to abide by the laws and decrees of those elected.
I also think that the church had a large impact on democracy in these colonies. All of these settlers were Puritans and Separatists who broke away from their countrymen to worship freely. Everyone in town was a Christian. As the colonies grew, of course, this changed, but political decisions were largely influenced by the church at this time of early development.
This democracy worked for the settlers for quite a while before women and slaves began to challenge its logic, but I do believe that for a new nation, this was the fastest way to restore order to the settlements.
The English colonies of Virginia, Plymouth, and Massachusetts were all self-governing up until the Revolution. After the revolution, the country as a whole decided to take a democratic approach to government. This approach was not decided upon in one simple meeting, however; democracy had its roots in all the self-proclaimed governments of the English colonies except for Virginia.
ReplyDeleteVirginia’s government was more totalitarian and dictorial than the other colonies. Sir William Berkeley, the royal governor of Virginia, was suppressive and brutal. He had established large gaps of differences between the wealthy planters and the poor farmers who struggled to make enough money to sustain life.
Plymouth, however; had democratic roots from the beginning. People were allowed to worship however they liked, which is part of the first amendment of the United States constitution which is a democratic doctrine.
Lastly, Massachusetts did not have much evidence of democratic roots. They were ruled by the Quakers. And the Quakers governed strictly and straight by the Bible. If anyone went against the laws they set or the laws set by the Bible, then that person would be banished from the community and have to go find a living elsewhere in the colonies.
Through early examples of democracy in the New World, the English colonies of Virginia, Plymouth, and Massachusetts forged the general concept of America an entire century before the American Revolution. With representative assemblies and other attempts of self-rule, these colonies laid the groundwork for this nation-to-be.
ReplyDeleteThe earliest example of a representative assembly in America was created in 1619 in the form of Virginia’s House of Burgesses. Organized entirely by the Virginians themselves, the assembly promised to reserve every right to colonists that a person had previously in England, including the explicit right to partake in the legislation process. However, the House of Burgesses did not operate so smoothly in a time of hardship. When tobacco prices dropped due to overproduction in the late 1660s, the general assembly attempted to raise the price only to be counteracted by London merchants raising the price of their English goods. The colony also struggled under the dictatorial-like rule of Governor Sir William Berkeley, whose autocratic nature triggered Bacon’s rebellion. Although Virginia employed the democratic elements of a general assembly and legislative participation, it failed to unite the colony into a functional settlement that mirrors the later unified America.
The colonies of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth were founded by Puritans, people seeking either the reform of (Reformers) or the separation from (Separatists) the Church of England. Plymouth was settled primarily by Pilgrims, a group of Separatists, and showed signs of a burgeoning democracy with the Mayflower Compact of 1620. This early and limited constitution stated the powers and responsibilities of Plymouth’s government, similar to what the United States’ Constitution did a century later, albeit on a grander scale. Massachusetts Bay was created when the crown granted a royal charter to a group of non-separatist Puritans who wanted to establish a colonial venture in the New World. Once the colony was well established, Massachusetts Bay had an entire governing body with a governor and a representative assembly. Male members of the Puritan church were allowed the right to vote for both the governor’s and the representatives’ offices. This differs from what later appeared in the United States; nevertheless, the distinct democratic element of citizens having the right to vote is still very important.
Both Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay offered certain freedom to their colonists, but they still operated under Puritan authority that frequently caused friction between people who questioned Puritan teachings and their intolerant leaders. Such incidents resulted in the banishment of dissidents that founded other colonies with universal religious freedom—an entirely democratic and American virtue. Without the intolerance of the Puritan leaders in Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth, these other colonies would not have set the stage for one of our soon-to-be country’s First Amendment rights: freedom of religion.
When people came to North America, they were looking for something that they didn’t have back in the motherland. They were looking for something new. People that came to North America weren’t happy in their motherland, or they wouldn’t have moved in the first place. Happy and content people didn’t leave the motherland and come to a completely new world.
ReplyDeleteBack in the motherlands, the government wasn’t run on the farmers, nor the lower class people, but those were the only people that moved to the Americas. When government systems were set up in North America, they had a new set of rules because they had to accommodate themselves, or the people living there. They started taking votes on matters at hand, and had everyone’s vote taken into account. That was the start of democracy.
A desire for independence in colonies grew as political and religious conflicts and civil war took over England. English colonists brought a tradition of independence and representative government with them. They were accustomed to holding elections for representatives that spoke on behalf of the colonists. This is the first sign of democracy in colonies, and it leads to Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Virginia all slowly forming their own political, economic, and social systems.
ReplyDeleteA group of Puritans who rejected the idea of reforming the Church of England left England in search of religious freedom. They formed the Plymouth colony off the Massachusetts’ coast. The Puritans, also known as Separatists, wanted to organize a separate church, free of royal control. Evidence of democracy can be seen because of their attempt to create a colony of equality and freedom.
Using a royal charter, a group of Puritans who were not Separatists colonized the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Although limited, there is early evidence of democratic actions in this colony. All male members of the puritan Church had the right to take part in yearly elections. They voted on the colony’s governor, his assistants, and a representative assembly. A large part of the colony was excluded from the political process thus, the gradual development of democratic ideas coexisted with antidemocratic policies such as slavery.
Virginia, the first of England’s colonies, struggled with resistance to the colonial government. The royal governor of Virginia adopted policies that favored the large planters and used dictatorial powers to govern on their behalf. Nathaniel Bacon and others resented the economic and political control given to a few large planters, so Bacon raised an army of volunteers that rebelled against royal authority. Bacon’s Rebellion showed that colonial resistance to royal control would be a lasting problem. Colonial resistance highlighted the need for a more democratic society.
The first forms of self-government in the colonies were the bases of what made the democratic government we have today. In fact, many of the colonies were partly democratic, but a big part of the population was excluded from the political and decision making process.
ReplyDeleteIn order to make decisions and choose political leaders, the colonists held votes. On the way to America, the Pilgrims signed a document called the Mayflower Compact and pledged to only make decisions by majority rule. This is a good example of an early form of constitution that established the powers and duties of the Plymouth government. The self-government of Jamestown is probably the closest to the government we use today. They organized the first representative assembly called the House of Burgesses. The settlers in Jamestown were promised to have the same rights they had in England and the right to be represented in the lawmaking process. Massachusetts was very limited with their democratic actions. They held yearly elections for the colony’s representative assembly, governor, and the governor’s assistants, but only free men of the Puritan Church were eligible to vote.
All three colonies excluded a great part of the population from the political and decision making process. Male property owners had the most rights and were the only people eligible to vote. Female members and landless members had very few rights and slaves and indentured servants had none at all. Governors of the colonies had unlimited powers and only answered to the king and those who provided financial support to the colonies.
Though the English colonies in America were under the authoritative rule of the Monarchs of England, democracy still manifested itself in various ways in the colonies. Democracy accomplished its subtle manifestation through the representative systems like the House of Burgesses in Virginia, the new approaches to religious tolerance as seen in Pennsylvania, and even the audacity of settlers to rebel against their respective colonies if they become too restricting and limiting.
ReplyDeleteWhen the English Civil War was afoot, the New England colonies realized that all English military forces would most likely be pulled from the colonies to help keep control of England, so they would be utterly defenseless if the French or the Dutch saw the English prospects unguarded and without a strong garrison; therefore, the colonies of Massachusetts Bay, New Haven, Plymouth, and Connecticut formed a military alliance and created the New England Confederation without the consent of their parent country. Though this Confederation did not continue after the English Civil War was finished, it might be regarded as a sign that the English colonies were exceedingly self-sufficient, and, due to the structure of the Confederation (2 representatives from each colony) , that the colonies were much more democratic-oriented than one might have previously thought.
Around twenty years after the English Civil War, Virginia experienced the backlash of unrest from its settlers. The House of Burgesses, though democratic-based, starting to become more regulating of its people, and in turn, there was political turmoil. Bacon’s rebellion, which was caused by noblemen overstretching their control of people, tore across Virginia and razed the capital of Jamestown to the ground. Though vicious, this rebellion could be classified as a democratic rebellion, aiming to overthrow the regulating and controlling rulers.
William Penn, the son of a famous English admiral and politician, was given the land that is now Pennsylvania and Delaware by the English government because of a debt to his father. Penn decided to use this new land to create a tolerant and liberal environment by accepting persecuted peoples such as the Quakers, of which Penn was a practitioner. Through this, Pennsylvania attracted many different settlers from various lands due to its democratic tendencies and tolerance.
In the late 1700s, American ideas on how their colonies should be governed, climaxed into a war for Democracy in the colonies. These ideas didn’t suddenly appear just before the American Revolution. Roots of democracy can be seen throughout the self-government of the early colonies. These roots can particularly be seen in Virginia, Plymouth, and Massachusetts.
ReplyDeleteIn Virginia, impoverished people fought against policies favoring wealthy land owners. Sir William Berkeley, the royal governor of Virginia in 1676, favored large planters and gave them political power. In doing this, Berkeley neglected small settlements on the western side of Virginia, allowing Native Americans to attack them without consequence. Nathaniel Bacon led angry impoverished western farmers and led a rebellion, destroying Native American villages. When Berkeley accused Bacon of rebellion, Bacon led his forces to an attack on Jamestown. Though Bacon’s rebellion soon failed, the events show roots of American democracy. The Virginia colonists clearly showed that they disliked steep class differences and favoritism of the upper class, and that they were willing to fight to be rid of such favoritism.
Events surrounding Plymouth showed seeds for a rising need for freedom of religion. While Puritans were struggling to establish Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies, they didn’t allow anyone who wasn’t Puritan to settle on their land. This led many people to expand and create new colonies that had freedom of religion. For example, Roger Williams, a Puritan minister, believed that the church cannot control anyone’s conscience, was banished, and founded Rhode Island, where all religions were accepted. Eventually, Plymouth created the Halfway Covenant. This allowed people to take part in church activities without formally announcing their belief in Christ and eventually eased the strict rules of the Puritan church. Both Roger Williams and the Halfway Covenant are examples of Plymouth sparking American freedom of religion.
An event involving the Massachusetts Bay colony showed that the colonies could unite for a common purpose. In the 1640s, New England colonies faced attack from several opponents, and could not count on mother England to protect them. Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven formed the New England Confederation. They banded together to solve disputes and to have a united militia. The united government consisted of two legislators from each colony with equal power. The New England Confederation’s united militia was able to defeat “King Philip’s” army, which were several Native American tribes united to drive out the settlers. Extenuating circumstances caused the unification to dissipate, but it showed that the colonies could cooperate, which was shown later in American Democracy.
-Brennan Ballard
Unlike their French and Spanish counterparts, the English colonists brought a tradition of independence and representative government. Therefore, when the colonies began self-governing, they experimented with democracy; however, this was a very limited democracy due in part to the fact that only male property owners could vote for representatives. These early, "democratic" forms of government are prevalent in the colonies of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Virginia.
ReplyDeleteThe government of Plymouth was created aboard the Mayflower in 1620 in the form of the Mayflower Compact. This document, drawn up and signed by the Pilgrims, represented both an early form of colonial self-government and an early form of written constitution and pledged to make decisions by the will of the majority. Moreover, this is more commonly known as majority rule.
In Massachusetts, there was a representative government with limited but important democratic actions. Only the male members of the Puritan Church, or "free-men", had the right to vote in the annual elections of the colony's governor, his assistants, and a representative assembly. Again, this has limited but important democratic actions.
In Jamestown, Virginia, the Virginia Company attempted to encourage settlement in by guaranteeing the colonists the same rights that they had in England, such as the right to be represented in the lawmaking process. In 1619, the colonists of Virginia organized the House of Burgesses, the first representative assembly in America. To conclude, the colonists were guaranteed the same rights that they had in England.
Part 1
ReplyDeleteThe early colonist developed various forms of self-government in the Virginia, Massachusetts, and Plymouth colonies. I see evidence of democracy in each of these colonies to a certain extent. For example, Virginia struggled with a numerous amount of problems including a settler's rebellion against royal control. Similarly, settlers who were unhappy with the Massachusetts authorities relocated and started their own colony. However, the citizens of Plymouth Colony were fleeing because of religion intoleration. Each colony had settlers that developed forms of self-government and democracy in resistance to authorities and royal control.
For a start, colonist in Virginia began to display a form of self-government after Sir William Berkeley adopted policies that favored large planters and used dictatorial powers to govern on their behalf. "He antagonized backwoods farmers on Virginia's western frontier because he failed to protect their settlements from Indian attacks" (25). As a result, Nathaniel Bacon lead a rebellion with western farmers against Berkeley's government. "Bacon and others resented the economic and political control exercised by a few large planters in the Chesapeake area" (25). This quotation reveals the real reason behind the rebellion.The action taken by Nathaniel Bacon and the western farmers is in some way an act of self-government. These people did not like the policies installed by Sir William Berkeley and they resented the economic and political control exercised by a few large planters. As a consequence, the people took matters into their own hands and started a rebellion. Although Bacons's army succeeded in defeating the governor's forces and burned down Jamestown their rebellion created lasting problems in Virginia. For the next century the colonial resistance to royal control was influenced by the rebellion.
Part 2
ReplyDeleteWhile the Virginia colony had their problems, the Massachusetts colony also had theirs. Settlers who were unhappy with the Massachusetts authorities were attracted to the fertile Connecticut River where they founded their own colony. "The Reverend Thomas Hooker led a large group of Boston Puritans into the valley and founded the colony of Hartford in 1636. The Hartford settlers then drew up the first written constitution in American history, the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639). It established a representative government consisting of a legislature elected by popular vote and a governor chosen by that legislature" (27). This quote shows the action taken by Thomas Hooker and the large group of Puritans and how it is a form of self-government. These colonist relocated and established their own first written constitution. South of the Harford settlement, John Davenport started a second settlement in 1637, calling it New Haven. Harford and New Haven joined together to make the colony of Connecticut. "The royal charter for Connecticut granted it a limited degree of self-government, including election of the governor" (27). All in all, one can see evidence of democracy to an extent in this colony.
Plymouth colony on the other hand, developed a new generation that was less committed to religious faith and more tied to material sucess. The new generation cared very little about religious faith and most failed to become members of the church. This is a small form of self-government because Puritans did not take part in church even though they were required to and they did what they wanted. "In an effort to maintain the Church's influence and membership a halfway covenant was offered by some clergymen to those who professed limited religious commitment" (28). The halfway covenant allowed people to attend church services and activities without a formal declaration of their total belief in Christ. In conclusion, the Virginia, Massachusetts, and Plymouth colonies all exhibit signs of forming a democracy.
Moving across the Atlantic to America granted the colonies a sense of independence and freedom from war and religious conflict. It presented a whole new lifestyle that required an adaptation to the land, people, and disease. To contribute to these new circumstances, the colonies Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Virginia experienced new political institutions. In order to understand the principles of our society today, we must examine the history and the foundation on which it was built upon.
ReplyDeleteDuring the year of 1620 in Plymouth, the Pilgrims drew up an early form of self government known as the Mayflower Compact. It was an early form of a constitution that established powers and duties of government. "Congress has power to: collect taxes, pay debts, borrow money, regulate commerce etc..."(Article 1, Section 8 of Constitution).
In Virginia, people were able to be represented in the law making process. The colonists also organized a representative assembly known as the House of Burgesses. It allowed people to express political matters and ideas freely. By definition this is the meaning of Democracy.
Evidence of democracy existed in the Plymouth, Virginia, and Massachusetts Bay colonies. In the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies (along with the Connecticut and New Haven colonies) a military alliance known as the New England Confederation was directed by a board with two representatives from each of the four colonies. The Confederation had limited powers in certain areas. It lasted until 1648. In Virginia, a rebellion was led by Nathaniel Bacon against Sir William Berkley's Government. Bacon and others resented the control that large planters had. Bacon's army succeeded and burned down the Jamestown Settlement.
ReplyDeleteIn Massachusetts, the right to participate in yearly elections of the colony's governor and other positions was available. This came with limitation. The elections were limited to white men of the Puritan church. "All elections are to be free and every inhabitant of the state of 18 years of age and upwards shall have an equal right to vote in any election."(Article 11 of Constitution)
ReplyDeleteWith these various transitions to a more democratic way of life, it was only to a certain extent. A lot of participation was limited to white men or just men who owned property. You can say it was evident they tried to convert democratically but not to a supreme degree; as well as for America currently.
American democracy, the idea of government of the people, by the people, for the people, seemed to be present in the early stages of European colonization, specifically in the English colonies. Though the extent of democracy vastly differs from present-day democracy, it still proved to be vital in the formation of the American government. Interestingly, the forms of government in each of the colonies varied amongst one another. For instance, the settlers of the Plymouth Colony used an early constitution to establish governmental power and then used a majority rule system to make most of its decisions. The Jamestown colonists, however, used a seemingly different governmental strategy that involved the Virginia Company guaranteeing the colonists the same rights they had in England which included the right to be represented in lawmaking. On the other hand, the Massachusetts colony allowed a limited democracy which allowed only free male members of the Puritan Church to participate in the annual gubernatorial elections. Though each colony had its own method of democracy, all seemed to be important in the establishment of the American government.
ReplyDeleteThe Mayflower Compact, though rudimentary in design, was an early form of constitutional government that played a key role in the success of the Plymouth colony. Drafted aboard the Mayflower in 1620, the Mayflower Compact signified the use of majority rule within the newly formed Plymouth colony. It allowed those who were persecuted and shunned from voicing their wishes for the government to finally have a say in how their government was operated. This result of a stormy 65 day voyage aboard the Mayflower proved to be an important cornerstone in the foundation of American democracy.
The House of Burgesses, an early model of an American representative assembly, allowed the people of the Jamestown colony to have representation in the law making process. This was one of the rights set forth by the Virginia Company as a method for persuading settlers to settle in their newly formed colony. However, even with this seemingly ingenious plan, the colony failed to stay out of debt and was eventually bankrupt, causing it to come under total royal control. Though the colony’s primitive form of representative government may not have lasted, it still gave a look into the future as another cornerstone was laid in the American foundation in the form of a representative assembly.
The Massachusetts Bay Colony, founded by Puritans seeking religious freedom, held an important role in early American democracy in the form of voting. Though this right was only extended to the free-men who were members of the Puritan Church, it still showed a separation from the monarchial tyranny the colonists fled from in England. These free-male voters were allowed to annually vote for the colony’s governor along with other representative positions. Although the Massachusetts Colony was limited in the volume of its voice, a voice in any size was better than the silence they had in England. Through elections, these rebels of England proved to be a model for our founding fathers who essentially captured precise proportions of each method of democracy in order to form the American Democracy.
The Virginia, Plymouth, and Massachusetts Bay colonies practiced democracy at different levels. The Virginia colonies displayed democracy through its House of Burgesses. The Plymouth colony displayed democracy through the Mayflower Compact. Finally, the Massachusetts Bay colonies displayed democracy through its form of voting.
ReplyDeleteVirginia was known for its House of Burgesses. The House of Burgesses can be compared to the House of Representatives. It consisted of representatives elected based on the majority vote. It also made several democratic laws. The House of Burgesses wasn’t the only thing that caused Virginia to be extremely democratic. For example, low tobacco prices brought harsh times to Virginia. When its House of Burgesses attempted to raise tobacco prices, the merchants of London fought back by raising their own prices on goods exported to Virginia. The royal governor of Virginia, Sir William Berkeley adopted policies favored large planters and used authoritarian powers to govern on their behalf. Sir William Berkley presented democracy by adopting policies for the well being of the farmers and their crops. Compared to the other colonies, Virginia was the most democratic.
The Plymouth colony was deemed democratic due to the Mayflower Compact. The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document for the Plymouth colony. It was a written document that declared equal laws for the well being of the colony. The document was democratic because it allowed every citizen, with the exception of women, to take part in voting on all issues.
The Massachusetts Bay colony was considered democratic because of its government. Its government formed the first democratic institution in America, the town meetings. At town meetings, every member of the church had a vote, and the majority vote was taken. The town meetings were directly democratic due to the fact that everyone’s vote counted.
In the beginning, the English colonists brought to the Americans tradition of independence and representative governments. Even though they were still under the king's leadership, they still had representatives that approve or disapprove important measures. Which led to tensions because of the independence grew in the colonies.
ReplyDeleteIn Virginia the Colonial resistanced to royal control. The house of Burgesss attempted to raise tobacco prices ,which led to london retaliation. Because of this rebellions like the Bacon rebellion caused problems."Berkeley's government in Jamestown accused Bacon of rebelling against royal authority".(Newman25) Breaking of the king's government was the start of forming an self-goverment.
Plymouth and Massachusetts had a strond religious base that stretched to Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Hampshire.Each colonies had a leader that wanted to break the puritan religion.They believe that anyone could pick their own religion not the government. Roger Williams " form a government that provided for complete religious toleration by allowing Catholics, Quakers and Jews to worship freely."(Newman27) People like williams made people believe that the goverment didnt have to control them. The formation of the New england confederation was a start of democratic goverment because each directing a board of two representative from each colony.
The colonies of America were reliant on their homelands for many years; however, many grew independent and began to rule themselves. Three occurences of this independence were Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Virginia. Although none of the three were completely dependent, they began to self-govern.
ReplyDeleteAn example of this self-governing was the forming of a military alliance. Plymouth and Massachusetts were two colonies that participated in this alliance, and it helped the colonies to rely on themselves.
Massachusetts religious independence was a big ordeal of separation. Most of the English were Catholic, so claiming to be Puritans differentiated the colony from the homeland.
Virginia was the most democratic at the time. The colony held elections within itself for the House of Burgesses and was the most self-governing.
All the colonies grew a form of independence, and these three show examples of how they veered away from England's governing.
The Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Virginia colonies each had early forms of democracy or early signs of democracy. Democracy in Virginia was doing well with the House of Burgesses, but the representatives of the royal crown, who wanted to keep control of everything, created problems like class differences and colonial resistance. These problems were proven to be present by the Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676. England’s many restrictions and other problems in Virginia made it hard to have democracy. Virginia was mostly farms and plantations. They needed someone to represent them correctly, so rebellions against the crown occurred. They started fight for the idea of representation.
ReplyDeletePlymouth and Massachusetts were more towards the religious Puritan power, but because the Puritans were losing membership from the generation, the leaders created the halfway covenant. Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies are two of the four colonies in the New England Confederation which was a board with two representatives from each colony. The English monarch gained control and ended it in 1684. The New England Confederation was the first unification of colonies, and that would help them in the future.
All of the colonies showed democracy in many forms. It was shown through the Virginia House of Burgesses, and Bacon’s Rebellion. It was also shown through individualism and the New England Confederation.
Leah Fontaine
ReplyDeleteChapter 2
The early forms of colonial government in the Americas can be seen as slightly democratic, and as the years went on this democracy advanced into the ideals of the American people. Freedom was an essencial aspect. Colonies such as Pennsylvania and Delaware supported freedom of religion. The people, mostly Quakers, had be persecuted because of their beliefs so they supported religious freedom. Many colonies weren't as accepting of other religions like Maryland. They believed in voting as is the democratic way but they did not give everyone equal right. Only men with land who were also a part of the church were allowed to vote. Black or low class men were not allowed to vote, neither were women. There was a uproar of taxation without representation. The lack of voting on a representative, a democratic view, cause many colonist to think unpleastant thoughts of their home country.
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The colonies of England in North America were accustomed to forms of representative and democratic in England, so naturally they formed such governments when they colonized America. There were three colonies in particular that showed forms of democratic government, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Plymouth. These governments led to growing feelings of independence and freedom which would eventually lead to revolution.
Virginia
While Virginia was originally intended as a Royal Colony under direct rule of the king’s government, the colonists there soon grew tired of the unfair treatment that the common farmers were receiving under the royal governor William Berkley. He adopted policies that favored the large planters and governed on their behalf, but did not help to protect the common farmers from Native attacks on their lands. This led Nathaniel Bacon to raise a volunteer army to combat the Natives but in doing so, the governor claimed he was defying royal authority, so Bacon, in response, began to attack royal forces. He would have succeeded in his mission, but he contracted dysentery and died and his army fell apart. Bacon’s rebellion did show one thing however, that the colonists could and would resist royal control.
Massachusetts and Plymouth
Massachusetts and Plymouth were New England colonies and parts of the New England Confederation which was a group of four colonies that banded together to combat the attacks of a Native American group under a leader known as King Phillip. This confederation showed early signs of democracy and colonial self-government in that it was directed by a board made up of two representatives from each colony. It also had limited powers to act on boundary disputes, the return of runaway slaves, and dealings with Native Americans.
There were many forms of self government brought by the early colonists. Many of the different types of self-government were democratic in style and showed some characteristics that resembled a democratic government. Many of the colonies resembled this style including Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Virginia.
ReplyDeleteIn Plymouth, a group of Pilgrims drew up and each signed a document that promised to serve based on a majority rule. This document, known as the Mayflower Compact, represented a democratic style self government while stating the powers that the government had.
In Massachusetts, the democratic style wasn't as big, but still had a major impact on the colony. All the male members of the Puritan Church ,or free men, had the right to participate in yearly elections of the colony's government. Although the power of the democratic rule based on the citizens was only limited to the free men, it still allowed the governor, assistants, and representative assembly, which is almost directly what a democracy is.
Virginia also showed very democratic views in their self-governing as well. The Virginia Company wanted the colonists to feel like they had similar rights to that of England, so they allowed them to partake in being represented in the law making process. 12 years after the founding of Jamestown, Virginia founded the first representative assembly in the US, the House of Burgesses.
The evidence of democracy was evident in the Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, and Virginia colonies.
ReplyDeleteThe Pilgrims in Plymouth show the most known act of democracy in early America. Before the Pilgrims got off the Mayflower in Massachusetts, they first drafted and signed the Mayflower Compact. The Mayflower Compact was a formal agreement in majority rule in the new colony and was one of the most prominent seed of democracy in early America. It was also one of the earliest forms of written constitutions established.
The Massachusetts Bay colony had important democratic roots. The government of Massachusetts Bay was based on theocracy, a type of government that was based on religion. The colony established town meeting in which governors were elected by the people; however, only free, landholding male members of the church were allowed to do so.
Early Virginia and the colony of Jamestown also had democratic roots. In 1619, the House of Burgesses was created. The House of Burgesses was the first popularly elected legislature in the New World. Virginia had a representative government which meant that the people could vote and elect government officials who would represent the people.