Colonial Democratic Ties essays

Colonial Democratic Ties essays English colonies, often established for the soul purpose of expanding the kingdoms of their monarchs, spurred the beginning of American democracy ruled by the majority of the people. Democratic characteristics were augmented by the will of the people, in such places as Virginia and Massachusetts, to gain freedom from a single monarchist. Although there was evidence of an early democracy, the chains of the King that held the colonies together were not completely broken. The British colonies first indication of any legislature was in the Virginian colony of Jamestown. A group of men, usually over the age of 17, congregate at a church to discuss the political and economic issues of Jamestown. This assembly of men, named the House of Burgesses, was substantiation of an early representative government. There was a governor of the House of Burgesses that was elected by leaders of The Virginia Company in London, England. The governor then selected six supporting members that were important men in the colony to be his council. The other 15 members were assembled through the voting by the people of the Jamestown Colony as a whole. The Plymouth Colony, often called Americas Birthplace of Democracy, was not the first British colony, but it was one of the most significant. The Mayflower Compact, a written document signed by the pilgrims, pledged allegiance to the king of England but also established that the colony would govern by the will of the people, or the majority. This clearly shows that Plymouth was ran democratically. Democratic influence were definitely present in early English colonial society, but because the king of England ruled with the proverbial iron fist, there was an abstention from becoming a true democracy. Although such contractual agreements, such as the Mayflower Compact, and forms of legislation, like the House of Burgesses, had substantial qualities of a gov ...