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The British Colonies in North America had a considerable amount of self governance because when compared to the oppressive situation for citizens in England and their lack of democracy, the colonists ability to have a representative democracy is substantial. In England, citizens were subject to working almost every waking hour in oppressive factories where they ran the risk of capital harm for infinitesimal amounts of pay. In the colonies, people were allowed to choose their own career (as long as they were not indentured servants), and there were high amounts of social and economic mobility. In the colonies, it was possible to make far more money (almost triple) than what citizens in England were making. In addition, a majority of the Acts placed on the colonists were not readily enforced. The early Navigation Acts were quickly worked around as colonists found loopholes, and as they got more and more strict colonists continued to smuggle product to the Caribbean and other continents. By comparison, in England where the monarch was on the same continent, working around laws was a far more dangerous and difficult task, to the point where very few attempted compared to the colonists.

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The Iron Act was yet another attempt at controlling colonist trade for Mercantilism. The goal was to restrict the construction of iron-making equipment like furnaces, rolling/slitting mills, and other sources of iron-making. Because the colony production of iron was competing with England, these laws were made to restrict the growth of the iron industry. However, because the Act was passed during the era of Salutary Neglect, there was no real motivation to enforce the rules.

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Table of Contents

Iron Act, (1750), in U.S. colonial history, one of the British Trade and Navigation acts; it was intended to stem the development of colonial manufacturing in competition with home industry by restricting the growth of the American iron industry to the supply of raw metals. To meet British needs, pig iron and iron bar made in the colonies were permitted to enter England duty free. In the colonies the following were prohibited: the new establishment of furnaces that produced steel for tools, and the erection of rolling and slitting mills and of plating forges; the manufacture of hardware; and the export of colonial iron beyond the empire. The British policy was successful in its goal of suppressing the manufacture of finished iron goods in the colonies, but colonial production of basic iron and pig iron (which were then shipped to England) flourished under the Iron Act.

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Iron Act, (1750), in U.S. colonial history, one of the British Trade and Navigation acts; it was intended to stem the development of colonial manufacturing in competition with home industry by restricting the growth of the American iron industry to the supply of raw metals.

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Once again, the Molasses Act was an act passed by the British Parliament in an attempt to gain more control over colonist economics in the name of Mercantilism. The Act imposed taxes on rum, sugar, and molasses from non-British countries to encourage trade between the colonies and the motherland. However, because this law was passed during the reign of Walpole, it fell victim to Salutary Neglect and was very loosely enforced. English traders bypassed this law and smuggled sugar products as often as not, and there were very lenient consequences if one was caught. This Act was later amended with the Sugar Act (1764), which was a contributor to the American Revolution.

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica | View Edit History

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Molasses Act, (1733), in American colonial history, a British law that imposed a tax on molasses, sugar, and rum imported from non-British foreign colonies into the North American colonies. The act specifically aimed at reserving a practical monopoly of the American sugar market to British West

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Salutary Neglect was an UNOFFICIAL policy that England held towards the colonies. Robert Walpole took over as Prime Minister through a series of bribes, corruption, and underhanded deals. After this, he appointed law enforcement who was equally corrupt as he was. With this lack of loyal subjects to the King, the enforcement of the Navigation and other Acts became much more lax. Smuggling drastically increased, and colonists were able to practice religion, democracy, and trade at their own will.

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The Wool Act, similarly to the Navigation Acts, was put in place by the British Parliament in order to restrict colonist trade to only England. The Wool Act put restrictions specifically on Wool and Wool products (such as cloth) that only allowed for trade within the British Empire and heavily taxed those trades. The idea behind this was to maximize profits in the name of Mercantilism and to encourage colonists to buy from England for a higher price than what they could make in their own homes.

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The definition and purpose of the Wool Act of 1699 and the cry of "No taxation without representation!"

Map of the Thirteen Colonies

"... great Quantities of the like Manufactures have of late been made and are daily increasing in the Kingdom of Ireland and in the English Plantations in America and are exported from thence to Forreigne Marketts, heretofore supplyed from England, which will inevitably sink and lead to the ruine of the Trade and the Woollen Manufactures of this Realm..."

To ban the export of wool, wool yarn, or wool cloth from the American colonies to markets outside the colonies

To limit wool production in Ireland

To restrict the import of woolens and linens created in other areas of the empire

Wool Act - British Laws and Taxes
Discover interesting facts and information about the Taxes in the 13 Colonies, including the Wool Act, which was imposed on the colonists of Colonial America by the British government via parliament. The Wool Act was one of a series of taxes that divided Great Britain and its colonies in America. The role of the legal systems and courts in the colonies included enforcing the laws of Great Britain.

Wool Act

Meaning and Definition of the Act

History of the Wool Act of 1699

Fast Facts and info about Wool Act timeline

The Wool Act article is a great history resource for kids

Social Studies Homework help for kids on the Wool Act of 1699

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The definition and purpose of the Wool Act of 1699 and the cry of "No taxation without representation!" Map of the Thirteen Colonies "...

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End of the Dominion of New England / Boston Rebellion (1688)

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End of the Dominion of New England / Boston Rebellion (1688)

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With the Glorious Revolution in which Queen Mary and her husband William of Orange took the throne from James II, the Dominion of New England Ended. The news of this sparked an uprising in Boston in which they overthrew the governor, Andros. The mob removed the governor and reinstated the previous government; one run by the Puritans. However, they did not fully regain control as before the Dominion and the loss of the Charter, but the MA Bay colony became a Royal Charter in 1691 in order to regain some control.

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What Was the Dominion of New England? - History of Massachusetts Blog

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The Dominion of New England was a merging of British colonies in New England in the 17th century. The Dominion was formed in 1686 and merged the colonies of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, together into one large colony. In 1688, the Dominion was expanded to include New...

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Formation of the Dominion of New England (1686)

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Formation of the Dominion of New England (1686)

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Prior to 1686, Massachusettes had never had a royal governor and was almost entirely independent. However, King James II began to tighten control over New England with the Formation of the Dominion of New England. This was spurred on by infighting over land, a lack of respect for the Navigation Acts, and conflict with Native Americans (especially King Philip's War). With this Dominion in place, elections were replaced with royally appointed governors and officials. Jury trials and bails were removed, as well as the press becoming censored. In addition, taxes were imposed without consent and entire customs concerning land were redistributed.

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The Navigation Acts were a series of Acts put in place by the British government in order to restrict colonist trade to only England and its territories. These acts were a crucial part to perpetuating the idea of Mercantilism - a belief that wealth is limited and one must amass as much wealth as possible in order to be powerful. These restrictive acts placed on the colonists were met with rebellion in the form of navigating loopholes and smuggling products to other countries such as Africa, Asia, and the Caribbeans. As time went on, the Navigation Acts became more and more restrictive in an attempt to tighten control over colonist trade.

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Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639)

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Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639)

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The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut were similar to the Mayflower Compact in that they established a series of laws that would allow for a functioning society under Christianity. The principle difference, however, was where the Mayflower Compact cited King James as the major governing body, the Fundamental Orders declared that the Connecticut settlers had the right to create their own form of government. With these laws they created a yearly election for Magistrates, Secretaries, and Governors as well as a set number of years that each can serve.

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Source: F. N. Thorpe, ed., The Federal and State Constitutions, Colonial Charters, and Other Organic Laws . . . , 7 vols. (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1909), 1:519-26, available online at http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/thorpe-the-federal-and-state-constitutions-vol-i-united-states-alabama-district-of-columbia.

For as much as it hath pleased Almighty God by the wise disposition of his divine providence so to order and dispose of things that we the Inhabitants and Residents of Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield are now cohabiting and dwelling in and upon the River of Connecticut and the lands thereunto adjoining; and well knowing where a people are gathered together the word of God requires that to maintain the peace and union of such a people there should be an orderly and decent Government established according to God, to order and dispose of the affairs of the people at all seasons as occasion shall require; do therefore associate and conjoin ourselves to be as one Public State or Commonwealth; and do for ourselves and our successors and such as shall be adjoined to us at any time hereafter, enter into Combination and Confederation together, to maintain and preserve the liberty and purity of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus which we now profess, as also, the discipline of the Churches, which according to the truth of the said Gospel is now practiced amongst us; as also in our civil affairs to be guided and governed according to such Laws, Rules, Orders and Decrees as shall be made, ordered, and decreed as follows:

1. It is Ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that there shall be yearly two General Assemblies or Courts, the one the second Thursday in April, the other the second Thursday in September following; the first shall be called the Court of Election, wherein shall be yearly chosen from time to time, so many Magistrates and other public Officers as shall be found requisite: Whereof one to be chosen Governor for the year ensuing and until another be chosen, and no other Magistrate to be chosen for more than one year: provided always there be six chosen besides the Governor, which being chosen and sworn according to an Oath recorded for that purpose, shall have the power to administer justice according to the Laws here established, and for want thereof, according to the Rule of the Word of God; which choice shall be made by all that are admitted freemen and have taken the Oath of Fidelity, and do cohabit within this Jurisdiction having been admitted Inhabitants by the major part of the Town wherein they live or the major part of such as shall be then present.

2. It is Ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that the election of the aforesaid Magistrates shall be in this manner: every person present and qualified for choice shall bring in (to the person deputed to receive them) one single paper with the name of him written in it whom he desires to have Governor, and he that hath the greatest number of papers shall be Governor for that year. And the rest of the Magistrates or public officers to be chosen in this manner: the Secretary for the time being shall first read the names of all that are to be put to choice and then shall severally nominate them distinctly, and every one that would have the person nominated to be chosen shall bring in one single paper written upon, and he that would not have him chosen shall bring in a blank; and every one that hath more written papers than blanks shall be a Magistrate for that year; which papers shall be received and told by one or more that shall be then chosen by the court and sworn to be faithful therein; but in case there should not be six chosen as aforesaid, besides the Governor, out of those which are nominated, then he or they which have the most written papers shall be a Magistrate or Magistrates for the ensuing year, to make up the aforesaid number.

3. It is Ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that the Secretary shall not nominate any person, nor shall any person be chosen newly into the Magistracy which was not propounded in some General Court before, to be nominated the next election; and to that end it shall be lawful for each of the Towns aforesaid by their deputies to nominate any two whom they conceive fit to be put to election; and the Court may add so many more as they judge requisite.

4. It is Ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that no person be chosen Governor above once in two years, and that the Governor be always a member of some approved Congregation, and formerly of the Magistracy within this Jurisdiction; and that all the Magistrates, Freemen of this Commonwealth: and that no Magistrate or other public officer shall execute any part of his or their office before they are severally sworn, which shall be done in the face of the court if they be present, and in case of absence by some deputed for that purpose.

5. It is Ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that to the aforesaid Court of Election the several Towns shall send their deputies, and when the Elections are ended they may proceed in any public service as at other Courts. Also the other General Court in September shall be for making of laws, and any other public occasion, which concerns the good of the Commonwealth.

6. It is Ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that the Governor shall, either by himself or by the Secretary, send out summons to the Constables of every Town for the calling of these two standing Courts one month at least before their several times: And also if the Governor and the greatest part of the Magistrates see cause upon any special occasion to call a General Court, they may give order to the Secretary so to do within fourteen days warning; And if urgent necessity so require, upon a shorter notice, giving sufficient grounds for it to the deputies when they meet, or else be questioned for the same; And if the Governor and major part of Magistrates shall either neglect or refuse to call the two General standing Courts or either of them, as also at other times when the occasions of the Commonwealth require, the Freemen thereof, or the major part of them, shall petition to them so to do: if then it be either denied or neglected, the said Freemen, or the major part of them, shall have the power to give order to the Constables of the several Towns to do the same, and so may meet together, and choose to themselves a Moderator, and may proceed to do any act of power which any other General Courts may.

7. It is Ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that after there are warrants given out for any of the said General Courts, the Constable or Constables of each Town, shall forthwith give notice distinctly to the inhabitants of the same, in some public assembly or by going or sending from house to house, that at a place and time by him or them limited and set, they meet and assemble themselves together to elect and choose certain deputies to be at the General Court then following to agitate the affairs of the Commonwealth: which said deputies shall be chosen by all that are admitted Inhabitants in the several Towns and have taken the oath of fidelity; provided that none be chosen a Deputy for any General Court which is not a Freeman of this Commonwealth.

The aforesaid deputies shall be chosen in manner following: every person that is present and qualified as before expressed, shall bring the names of such, written in several papers, as they desire to have chosen for that employment, and these three or four, more or less, being the number agreed on to be chosen for that time, that have the greatest number of papers written for them shall be deputies for that Court; whose names shall be endorsed on the back side of the warrant and returned into the Court, with the Constable's or Constables's hand unto the same.

8. It is Ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that Windsor, Hartford, and Wethersfield shall have power, each Town, to send four of their Freemen as their deputies to every General Court; and Whatsoever other Town shall be hereafter added to this Jurisdiction, they shall send so many deputies as the Court shall judge meet, a reasonable proportion to the number of Freemen that are in the said Towns being to be attended therein; which deputies shall have the power of the whole Town to give their votes and allowance to all such laws and orders as may be for the public good, and unto which the said Towns are to be bound.

9. It is Ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that the deputies thus chosen shall have power and liberty to appoint a time and a place of meeting together before any General Court, to advise and consult of all such things as may concern the good of the public, as also to examine their own Elections, whether according to the order, and if they or the greatest part of them find any election to be illegal they may seclude such for present from their meeting, and return the same and their reasons to the Court; and if it be proved true, the Court may fine the party or parties so intruding, and the Town, if they see cause, and give out a warrant to go to a new election in a legal way, either in part or in whole. Also the said deputies shall have power to fine any that shall be disorderly at their meetings, or for not coming in due time or place according to appointment; and they may return the said fines into the Court if it be refused to be paid, and the Treasurer to take notice of it, and to escheat or levy the same as he does other fines.

10. It is Ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that every General Court, except such as through neglect of the Governor and the greatest part of the Magistrates the Freemen themselves do call, shall consist of the Governor, or some one chosen to moderate the Court, and four other Magistrates at least, with the major part of the deputies of the several Towns legally chosen; and in case the Freemen, or major part of them, through neglect or refusal of the Governor and major part of the Magistrates, shall call a Court, it shall consist of the major part of Freemen that are present or their deputies, with a Moderator chosen by them: In which said General Courts shall consist the supreme power of the Commonwealth, and they only shall have power to make laws or repeal them, to grant levies, to admit of Freemen, dispose of lands undisposed of, to several Towns or persons, and also shall have power to call either Court or Magistrate or any other person whatsoever into question for any misdemeanor, and may for just causes displace or deal otherwise according to the nature of the offense; and also may deal in any other matter that concerns the good of this Commonwealth, except the election of Magistrates, which shall be done by the whole body of Freemen. In which Court the Governor or Moderator shall have power to order the Court, to give liberty of speech, and silence unseasonable and disorderly speakings, to put all things to vote, and in case the vote be equal to have the casting voice. But none of these Courts shall be adjourned or dissolved without the consent of the major part of the Court.

11. It is Ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that when any General Court upon the occasions of the Commonwealth have agreed upon any sum, or sums of money to be levied upon the several Towns within this Jurisdiction, that a committee be chosen to set out and appoint what shall be the proportion of every Town to pay of the said levy, provided the committee be made up of an equal number out of each Town.

The Oath of the Governor, for the Present

I, N. W. being now chosen to be Governor within this Jurisdiction, for the year ensuing, and until a new be chosen, do swear by the great and dreadful name of the everliving God, to promote the public good and peace of the same, according to the best of my skill; as also will maintain all lawful privileges of this Commonwealth; as also that all wholesome laws that are or shall be made by lawful authority here established, be duly executed; and will further the execution of Justice according to the rule of God's word; so help me God, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Oath of a Magistrate, for the Present

I, N. W. being chosen a Magistrate within this Jursidiction for the year ensuing, do swear by the great and dreadful name of the everliving God, to promote the public good and peace of the same, according to the best of my skill, and that I will maintain all the lawful privileges thereof according to my understanding, as also assist in the execution of all such wholsome lawes as are made or shall be made by lawful authority hear established, and will further the execution of Justice for the time aforesaid according to the righteous rule of God's word; so help me God, etc.

14th January 1638/9, the 11 Orders above said are voted.

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The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut - Teaching American History

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For as much as it hath pleased Almighty God by the wise disposition of his divine providence so to order and dispose of things that we the Inhabitants and Residents of Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield are now cohabiting and dwelling in and upon the River of Connecticut and the lands

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Formation of the House of Burgesses (1619)

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Formation of the House of Burgesses (1619)

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The House of Burgesses was the first English representative government in not only the colonies, but in the whole of North America. It was established as a way to pass local laws and maintain order in Jamestown, Virginia and to allow the colonists to have a voice in their legislature. However, only white men over the age of 21 were allowed to participate, ignoring the many women and people of color in the colonies. In addition, all laws could be vetoed by the governor and had to be approved by the Virginia Company of London.

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The House of Burgesses (1619-1776 CE) was the first English representative government in North America, established in July 1619 CE, for the purpose of passing laws and maintaining order in the Jamestown Colony of Virginia and the other settlements that had grown up around it.

A burgess was defined as a freeman and is also given as "citizen", defined at the time as a white male landowner over the age of 21. Although the House of Burgesses is often defined or referenced as the first democratic government in North America, this is inaccurate because:

Democratic government was already well-developed by the indigenous people and had been in place for over a thousand years.

The House of Burgesses was not a true democracy because only white land-owning males over the age of 21 were allowed to participate, the governor could veto any law, and all laws were subject to the approval of the Virginia Company of London.

The Council of State, which advised the governor, was comprised of men appointed by the Virginia Company who had not been elected by their peers or constituency but represented their interests.

It is more accurate to define this assembly as the first English representational government in the North American colonies. Its establishment was encouraged by the English politician Sir Edwin Sandys (pronounced Sands, l. 1561-1629 CE), one of the principal investors and founders of the Virginia Company of London which had funded the expedition to establish Jamestown in 1607 CE. Sandys was an antiroyalist - someone who rejected the concept of the Divine Right of Kings and the monarchy altogether - and supported a governmental structure that was based on the assembly of free men, elected by their peers, to create and uphold laws for the common good.

The House of Burgesses' first order of business was relations between the colonists and Native Americans, and this would remain an ongoing concern of the assembly in the following years. Although the burgesses continually sought to pass laws and enforce policies they thought fair to both indigenous peoples and immigrants, they failed to recognize that their very presence on lands previously used by Native American tribes was central to all the other problems they tried to address and, further, as more lands were taken for settlements and plantations, land theft was justified by laws, addressing what was thought best for the indigenous people.

Many of the Founding Fathers were members of the House of Burgesses & instrumental in establishing its successor, the General Assembly.

The assembly continued to meet as a unicameral political body (meaning a single legislative body) whenever called to order until 1642 CE when it was divided into a bicameral body (two separate legislative assemblies) of the House of Burgesses and the Council of State. These two houses would become more well-defined and autonomous over the years and served as the nexus for opposition to British rule by the colonies in the late 18th century CE.

Many of the Founding Fathers, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry, were members of the House of Burgesses and instrumental in establishing its successor, the General Assembly, comprised of a Senate and a House of Delegates in 1776 CE. A number of scholars in the modern era have argued for the claim that the House of Burgesses, which informed the creation of the United States government, was directly influenced by Native American forms of government, but this claim is consistently challenged.

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Native American Democracy

A democratic form of government had been established in North America over a thousand years before the first English colonist set foot on the land. Although many indigenous nations practiced this form of government, it is best documented for the Iroquois Confederacy (also known as the Haudenosaunee) which stretched from modern-day Canada down through North Carolina. The tribes once fought each other in near-constant wars over food and water supplies until the arrival of the Great Peacemaker, Dekanawida, who inspired his two best-known disciples - Hiawatha and, later, Tadodaho - to spread the message of peace and power through unity.

The Cayuga, Kanienkehaka, Mohawks, Oneida, and Seneca first formed the confederacy with the Onondaga and Tuscarora joining later. Scholar David J. Silverman describes the form of government, known as a League, established c. 1000 CE though existing in some form long before that time through tribal councils:

Like the tribal councils, League meetings of clan sachems [chiefs] focused not on policymaking but peacekeeping, specifically a halt to the cycles of revenge warfare. (42)

At the same time, however, the League did, in fact, make policy as a means toward keeping the peace. The clan chiefs were chosen by the matrons of their clan on the basis of their eloquence and ability to represent the interests of their people. Although members of the tribe did not directly elect their representatives, they trusted the matrons who chose them, and those chosen who did not faithfully represent the interests of their clan were removed and replaced by others. Discussion of policy was encouraged, and debate was integral to any decision on laws, the acceptance of which had to be agreed upon unanimously. The Iroquois thereby instituted a unicameral legislative body in North America centuries before the English arrived.

Virginia Company, Jamestown, & Tobacco

Other tribes, from modern-day New England down through Virginia, implemented similar forms of government and were fully operational when England began its efforts to colonize the so-called New World of North America. The Virginia Company of London funded the 1607 CE expedition which established Jamestown in the marshes of Virginia on land which had been rejected as unsuitable by the Powhatan Confederacy of the region. The settlement struggled to survive and only did so once Captain John Smith (l. 1580-1631 CE) took control, stopped the colonists from stealing from the natives, forced them to work the land for their food, and formed an alliance with the Powhatan chief Wahunsenacah (l. c. 1547 - c. 1618 CE).

Smith left the colony to return to England in the fall of 1609 CE, and relations deteriorated between the colonists and indigenous people. The colony suffered through what is now known as the Starving Time during the winter of 1609-1610 CE and, in May of 1610 CE, a ship brought the man who would turn Jamestown's fortunes around; John Rolfe (l. 1585-1622 CE). Rolfe arrived with tobacco seeds he had somehow acquired and thought would do well in the Virginia soil. He was correct and, by 1614 CE, had already harvested his first very profitable crop, which encouraged others to begin planting tobacco.

The expansion of Jamestown, as well as the neediness of the colonists and their tendency to steal from the natives, had resulted in the First Powhatan War (1610-1614 CE) which ended when Rolfe married the daughter of Wahunsenacah, Pocahontas (l. c. 1596-1617 CE), establishing the Peace of Pocahontas in 1614 CE. Other settlements, such as Henricus, had been founded by this time, and more land was purchased (or taken) from the natives for tobacco plantations and settlements. Pocahontas died in 1617 CE, and tensions began to mount between the colonists and natives who saw more of their land taken, and more of their crops appropriated, without compensation.

House of Burgesses Established

At this point in the colony's development, Sir Edwin Sandys (who was also responsible for the Jamestown Brides program) recognized the need for an on-site representational government to direct affairs in North America. From the beginning, Jamestown had been led by a colonial governor appointed by the Virginia Company who made decisions, sometimes, after consulting with advisors. Sandys encouraged the establishment of a legislative body that would be better able to address the needs of an expanding colony and meet the challenges posed by the resistance of the indigenous people to their loss of land rights. Scholar David A. Price describes the original organization of the legislature in July 1619 CE:

No account of the rules of suffrage in 1619 Virginia has survived, but it is safe to assume they followed the practice of the mother country in excluding male indentured servants (because they were not property owners) as well as all women. The voters of each city, borough, and plantation elected two "burgesses" to represent them. There were seven plantations by mid-1619, so the burgesses included eight men from the cities and boroughs and fourteen from the plantations, or twenty-two men all together. The assembly resembled the modern U.S. Senate in that its burgesses represented a wildly variable number of constituents. (190)

Initially, participation in the assembly was limited to English male property owners, but when Polish artisans and craftsmen learned of this, they went on strike and refused to work until they were given full rights in participatory government. The first session of the assembly met on 30 July 1619 CE in the Jamestown church and was presided over by the governor Sir George Yeardley (l. 1587-1627 CE). The Speaker of the House was John Pory (1572-1636 CE) who was responsible for establishing the parliamentary procedures which would govern meetings and are still in use in the present day.

The session was opened with a prayer offered by the Anglican priest Richard Buck who had arrived in the colony with Yeardley and Rolfe in 1610 CE and, after the prayer concluded, Pory presented the assembly with the first item on the agenda: a complaint made against plantation owner John Martin for taking corn by force from a group of Powhatans who had refused to sell to him. Colonists were called as witnesses to the event and the charges were discussed. Price comments on the nature of the assembly:

The new body was not a pure representative democracy by any means. Apart from the qualifications on suffrage, the democratic charter of the assembly was slightly diluted by the fact that it included not only the burgesses, but also the governor's "Council of State", a half dozen men appointed by the company to serve as the governor's advisers. These men were themselves colonists, and were charged with representing the colonists' interests, but they had not been elected by anyone. The governor held a power of veto (a "negative voice"), as did the company's council in London. (190)

By unanimous vote, Martin was censured and ordered to appear before the legislature to give his side of the story. He was ordered to remit a certain amount to the assembly as security that neither he nor his people would molest the indigenous tribes or touch their property without consent in the future. He was not required, however, to seek permission from the governor for trade with natives which established policies regarding personal property in the colonies. A provision was then passed, the first, protecting the rights of the natives to their land, selves, and property. The assembly then moved on to other business but adjourned prematurely due to the extreme heat of early August in the close quarters of the church.

Slavery, Expansion, & Powhatan Wars

The sale of tobacco crops had not only saved Jamestown but made it rich, and this encouraged the arrival of more colonists - whether as landowners or indentured servants - who wanted to make their fortune on the crop as well. The same year that saw the establishment of the House of Burgesses brought the first Africans to the colony, 20 of whom were bought by Sir George Yeardley, making him Virginia's first slave owner.

Slavery would not become institutionalized in Virginia until the 1660s CE but the first African slaves can be said to have arrived in the colony in 1619 CE.

Some scholars (Price among them) question whether these first Africans were treated as slaves and argue they were considered more along the lines of indentured servants. Evidence does suggest the presence of free blacks in colonial Jamestown and certainly, by 1676 CE, there were black landowners and at least one on record as owning black slaves himself. Even if the Africans were not treated as slaves, however, they arrived in that condition aboard a Dutch ship, which had captured them as cargo from a Spanish trader. Slavery would not become institutionalized in Virginia until the 1660s CE but the first African slaves can be said to have arrived in the colony in 1619 CE.

Yeardley put his new slaves (or servants) to work in the tobacco fields, his own being only one among the many which were expanding further into Native American lands. The more colonists arrived, the more land was required for settlements, farms, and tobacco plantations, and the Powhatan Confederacy finally had enough. Wahunsenacah had been succeeded by his half-brother Opchanacanough (l. 1554-1646 CE) who, in 1622 CE, launched what came to be known as the Indian Massacre of 1622 and the start of the Second Powhatan War (1622-1626 CE), killing over 300 colonists. The House of Burgesses passed legislation organizing the militia of the settlements and the establishment of defenses.

The legislators would do the same later during the Third Powhatan War (1644-1646 CE) and again after Bacon's Rebellion of 1676 CE. After this event, during which indentured servants had participated in a revolt led by landowner Nathaniel Bacon (l. 1647-1676 CE), the House of Burgesses recognized the danger of continuing to import indentured servants who would be rewarded, once they completed the terms of their service, with land which equaled political power. Indentured servitude was discontinued, and slavery was further institutionalized to continue harvesting the tobacco crop. Although the first order of business of the House of Burgesses had been the protection of Native American rights and property, this legislation was forgotten as profits from tobacco sales increased and more land was required for plantations.

Conclusion

The Virginia Company was dissolved in 1624 CE, and the English government took direct control of the North American colonies. The House of Burgesses, however, continued to meet and pass legislation in accordance with the policies of the English government. In 1634 CE the assembly divided the ever-expanding colony into counties and reorganized representation, and the assembly was changed to a bicameral body in 1642 CE of the House of Burgesses and the Council of State. In 1676 CE, during Bacon's Rebellion, Jamestown was burned and the government moved to the area of Middle Plantation, later known as Williamsburg.

England's Seven Years' War (1756-1763 CE) with France (known as the French and Indian War in its North American theater, 1754-1763 CE), was costly and resulted in higher taxation of the colonies and disruption of colonial trade. English legislation concerning trade, colonial economy, and political autonomy followed throughout the 1760s CE, increasing tension between the crown and the colonies. The House of Burgesses, by this time, had a long history and inspired similar legislative bodies elsewhere.

The colonies of New England had also established their own colonial governments and, increasingly, saw no need to obey the dictates of the English government. Tensions grew in the early 1770s CE, finally leading to the outbreak of hostilities in 1775 CE and the American War of Independence (1775-1783 CE). Price comments:

The establishment of the General Assembly in 1619 and the introduction of broad-based property ownership the same year were critical milestones on the path to American liberty and self-government. It is hard to overstate their lasting effect on American political culture, as the bases for the eventual spread of private property and representative government in the English colonies. (194)

The House of Burgesses was dissolved on 6 May 1776 CE. It was never officially adjourned and became the General Assembly consisting of the House of Delegates and the Senate of the Commonwealth of Virginia, declaring its independence from Britain. Members of the House of Burgesses would play pivotal roles in the War of Independence and the founding of the United States' government afterwards.

One of the Founding Fathers, Thomas Paine (l. 1737-1809 CE), though not a member of the House of Burgesses, is often referred to as the "Father of the Revolution" for his Common Sense and The American Crisis, which provided the philosophical justification and inspiration for the war. Paine became a controversial figure in his own time for arguing that the government of the Iroquois Confederacy should be the model for that of the United States. According to some modern scholars, it was, but just as in Paine's time, this claim is challenged, and the subject is often omitted from the narrative of the founding of the United States.

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The House of Burgesses (1619-1776 CE) was the first English representative government in North America, established in July 1619 CE, for the purpose of passing laws and maintaining order in the Jamestown...

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The Mayflower Compact was the first Constitution written by colonists in North America; it was created after settlers landed in Cape Cod, MA instead of their original destination (Virginia) and wanted to create a system of laws that would allow for a functioning society. The Compact included rules that the MA citizens would abide by, including loyalty to King James, creating laws for the good of the colony, and dutifully practicing Christianity.

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Contents

1. Mutiny on the Mayflower

2. What Was the Mayflower Compact?

3. Who Wrote the Mayflower Compact?

4. What Was the Purpose of the Mayflower Compact?

5. Plymouth Colony

6. Why Was the Mayflower Compact Important?

7. Text of The Mayflower Compact

The Mayflower Compact was a set of rules for self-governance established by the English settlers who traveled to the New World on the Mayflower. When Pilgrims and other settlers set out on the ship for America in 1620, they intended to lay anchor in northern Virginia. But after treacherous shoals and storms drove their ship off course, the settlers landed in Massachusetts instead, near Cape Cod, outside of Virginia's jurisdiction. Knowing life without laws could prove catastrophic, colonist leaders created the Mayflower Compact to ensure a functioning social structure would prevail.

Mutiny on the Mayflower

Of the 102 passengers on the Mayflower, there were 50 men, 19 women and 33 young adults and children. Just 41 were true Pilgrims, religious separatists seeking freedom from the Church of England.

The others were considered common folk and included merchants, craftsmen, indentured servants and orphaned children-the Pilgrims called them "strangers."

Seeking the right to worship as they wished, the Pilgrims had signed a contract with the Virginia Company to settle on land near the Hudson River, which was then part of northern Virginia. The Virginia Company was a trading company chartered by King James I with the goal of colonizing parts of the eastern coast of the New World. London stockholders financed the Pilgrim's voyage with the understanding they'd be repaid in profits from the new settlement.

But when the Mayflower landed in Massachusetts instead of Virginia, discord began before the colonists even left the ship. The strangers argued the Virginia Company contract was void. They felt since the Mayflower had landed outside of Virginia Company territory, they were no longer bound to the company's charter.

The defiant strangers refused to recognize any rules since there was no official government over them. Pilgrim leader William Bradford later wrote, "several strangers made discontented and mutinous speeches."

The Pilgrims knew if something wasn't done quickly it could be every man, woman and family for themselves.
READ MORE: What's the Difference Between Puritans and Pilgrims?
What Was the Mayflower Compact?

Pilgrim leaders wanted to quell the rebellion before it took hold. After all, establishing a New World colony would be difficult enough without dissent in the ranks. The Pilgrims knew they needed as many productive, law-abiding souls as possible to make the colony successful.

With that in mind, they set out to create a temporary set of laws for ruling themselves as per majority agreement.

On November 11, 1620, 41 adult male colonists, including two indentured servants, signed the Mayflower Compact, although it wasn't called that at the time.

Who Wrote the Mayflower Compact?

It's unclear who wrote the Mayflower Compact, but the well-educated Separatist and pastor William Brewster is usually given credit.

One now-famous colonist who signed the Mayflower Compact was Myles Standish. He was an English military officer hired by the Pilgrims to accompany them to the New World to serve as military leader for the colony. Standish played an important role in enforcing the new laws and protecting colonists against unfriendly Native Americans.

What Was the Purpose of the Mayflower Compact?

No one knows exactly what happened to the original Mayflower Compact. The accepted translation was found in William Bradford's journal, Of Plymouth Plantation, in which he wrote about his experiences as a colonist.

The Mayflower Compact created laws for Mayflower Pilgrims and non-Pilgrims alike for the good of their new colony. It was a short document which established that:

the colonists would remain loyal subjects to King James, despite their need for self-governance

the colonists would create and enact "laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices..." for the good of the colony, and abide by those laws

the colonists would create one society and work together to further it

the colonists would live in accordance with the Christian faith

READ MORE: How the Mayflower Compact Laid a Foundation for American Democracy
Plymouth Colony

Once the colonists agreed to work together, the hard work of starting the colony began. They elected John Carver governor on November 21, 1620.

Carver had helped secure financing for the Mayflower expedition and served in a leadership role during the voyage to America. He's also sometimes given credit for helping write the Mayflower Compact.

Search parties then went ashore to find an ideal place to settle. They decided on Plymouth, where the colonists endured a brutal winter. Ravaged by starvation, disease and lack of shelter, more than half of the colonists died, yet Plymouth Colony survived.

It has been argued the Mayflower Compact's role in cementing the colonists' dedication to each other and their mission was critical to their endurance that first winter.

John Carver survived the hard winter of 1620 but died in April 1621, and the colonists chose William Bradford to replace him. Under his leadership, Plymouth Colony started to thrive.

As more and more settlers arrived and colonized the surrounding areas, a General Court was established. Each town elected representatives to attend the court, thereby creating an early representative government.

Why Was the Mayflower Compact Important?

The Mayflower Compact was important because it was the first document to establish self-government in the New World. It remained active until 1691 when Plymouth Colony became part of Massachusetts Bay Colony.

The Mayflower Compact was an early, successful attempt at democracy and undoubtedly played a role in future colonists seeking permanent independence from British rule and shaping the nation that eventually became the United States of America.

Text of The Mayflower Compact

The full text of the Mayflower Compact is as follows:
In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, defender of the Faith, etc.: Having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and advancements of the Christian faith, and the honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one another; covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic; for our better ordering, and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, 1620.
Sources

Mayflower Compact: 1620. The Avalon Project.
Mayflower Compact: A Foundation for Our Constitution. ACLJ.
Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford. HistoryofMassachusetts.org.
The Plymouth Colony Archive Project.
The Mayflower Compact. Constitutional Rights Foundation.

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Mutiny on the Mayflower What Was the Mayflower Compact? Who Wrote the Mayflower Compact? What Was the Purpose of the Mayflower Compact? Plymouth Colony Why Was the Mayflower Compact Important? Text of The Mayflower Compact The Mayflower Compact was a set of rules for self-governance established by the English settlers who traveled to the New World on the Mayflower.