Preview

The Role Of Democracy In Colonial America

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
257 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Role Of Democracy In Colonial America
Democracy in Colonial America which was a work in progress, had both democratic and undemocratic features. When colonist got to America, they had to make their own laws. They immigrated to America to get away from England’s laws. Not all of the new laws were great, they needed to make them better but never made laws, so didn’t know how to make them where it benefited everyone.
One democratic feature is the rule of law. In a rule of law, no one is above the law. From document 3 “The Fundamental Orders Of Connecticut”, the people get to vote for governor and voters can call general court into session if the governor neglects or refuses. Therefore the rule of law is a democratic feature.
One undemocratic feature is equality. Equality means all

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    One democratic feature is Rule of Law which means no one is above the law. An example of this is represented by document #3 “the Fundamental Order of Connecticut”. The example says that the power to call public officials or any other person into question from any misdemeanor any may with good reasons. This means that nobody, not even a governor or president can go against the law.…

    • 335 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    One democratic feature is Economic Freedom. Economic Freedom is generally accepted that democratic government should not totally control the economy. This means that people are allowed to choose their own work and to join labor unions. This can be found in document 12, Economic Freedom.…

    • 249 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    '...where we do well know that all our causes will be impartially heard and equally justice administered to all men,' as stated by, Nathaniel Bacon. 1 In 1676 an uprising known as Bacon's Rebellion occurred in Virginia. The immediate cause of this revolt was the dissension between the planters and the Indians. Because Sir William Berkeley, the Governor of Virginia had willingly denied support to the farmers, Bacon assumed leadership of an unauthorized expedition against the Indians. When Bacon learned that Governor Berkeley was rising a force against him, he turned away from the Indians to fight with Berkley. This had now become a serious problem for the governor. When news of this revolt had reached King Charles II, it alarmed him so that he dispatched eleven hundred troops to Virginia, recalled his governor, and appointed a commission to determine the causes of the dissatisfaction. Bacon's Rebellion is considered to be the most important event in the establishment of democracy in colonial America because the right to vote and social equality were denied to the farmers by the local government.…

    • 751 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Colonial America played a major role in the way America is run today. In this particular time period, America was just beginning to be its own country. Now that America was finally free from British rule it needed a government of its own. Democracy seemed to be the best option for the new government, but it was a little hard to switch to all things democratic immediately. Democracy was a work in progress in colonial America with democratic and undemocratic features.…

    • 390 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    On the other hand, They weren’t a democracy because only men and free slaves were allowed to vote, but not the other half of the society such as women and slaves. In addition, they couldn’t vote to determine which candidate they officially…

    • 165 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Andrew Jackson’s presidency regularly corresponds with Democracy like John F. Kennedy corresponds with the Cuban Missile Crisis and how Abraham Lincoln corresponds with the Civil War. The 1800s began a new era of the “common man”. Jackson aided in this era with his presidency. For example, before Jackson was president, voting was limited only to people who owned property; then when Jackson became president, voting was open to all white males. Jackson’s actions during his rule shifted the direction of America to a more democratic state.…

    • 121 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The thirteen colonies in America began early to develop democratic features. The British traditions and principles stilled lived within a few of the colonist. Accountability, equality, individual human rights are democratic principles. Democracy in colonial America was a work in progress with democratic and undemocratic features.…

    • 234 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The year is 1776, it is a time of change. The American colonists have finalized their constitution and declared their independence from the Imperialist British empire. This period is known as one of the most important times in American history, and for that reason, I would travel back in time to see it. One of the major reasons I would want to visit this period is because essentially, this was the birth of modern democracy. To witness the writing and signing of the constitution would be very helpful knowledge to bring back for many reasons. The majority of today’s political debates are fought over various interpretations of the constitution's meanings. For example, one of the foremost arguments in American Congress is gun control. The Second…

    • 269 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In a democracy, people choose their leaders by voting, and everyone is treated equally. Democracy revolves around rule by the majority. In my opinion, colonial America was on its way to democracy, but far from being a true democratic society. Only a small portion of the people were able to make the decisions, so government did not revolve around the majority.…

    • 294 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    American history section 1

    • 4348 Words
    • 18 Pages

    How democratic was colonial America? Colonial America was not very democratic. Slavery still existed in the colonies, and the colonies were ruled by a King. Up until the American revolution, most colonists still considered themselves loyal to the King.…

    • 4348 Words
    • 18 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Read the definition of democracy below and apply it to the Constitution. Then, try to find any undemocratic element in the Constitution.…

    • 1779 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    If not everyone is equal, then it is impossible to describe a society as democratic. As seen in the Mayflower Compact, the king is the one who ultimately has control over the colonists. “ We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord King James” (Document A). The word subject implies subordinate. In a democratic society, the majority rules. Therefore, one person cannot determine the outcome of a situation because his opinion should not be weighed more than that any other person. Another example of undemocratic practices in British Colonial America can be seen in the House of Burgesses, where the governor has the ability to veto the opinion of…

    • 915 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Massachusetts Bay Colony

    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Bay Colony was also based on a partly democratic government. The government was partly democratic because the people of the colony elected a governor and his assistants annually. This wasn't a true democracy because only the men that were true members of the church were eligible, which in turn goes back to the theocratic idea of the government. The government was also partly democratic because it treated everyone the same when dealing with laws and taxes. Basically no matter who you were the laws still applied to you and so did the taxes.…

    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the present political spectrum, democracy is essentially understood as both the most humane and effective means by which to govern a body politic. While democracy is currently relatively non-controversial, this was not the case during its establishment. The democratic experiment in America was viewed somewhat indifferently by many of the world's prominent political philosophers. Alexis de Tocqueville and John Stuart Mill existed among those most apprehensive of the democratic experiment. To each of these men, democracy certainly possessed certain positive attributes, but at the same time, represented a potential threat to the individual freedoms of man, through a much feared 'tyranny of the majority'.…

    • 982 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Shaping Colonial America

    • 877 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Many different things affected the shaping of colonial America in the new world. Factors such as colonialism, geography, and religion affected the way North America was formed and dictated how other people look at colonial America. Colonialism affected America’s demographic and also the ease of forming colonies in the new world. Geography also played a roll in shaping the identity of America. Geography affected where people settled based on the layout of rivers, ocean, and waterways. People also settled in places where they could grow crops. Geography also attracted colonists. Finally, religion affected the forming of colonial America. People were driven from England because of religion. Also, religion affected where people settled down. Without the factors of colonialism, geography, and religion in the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th century, America would look much different today.…

    • 877 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays