Early Jamestown Dbq

In April 26, 1607 the first voyagers of Jamestown land in the America's. The first settlement conducted an election nearly after they landed in Jamestown. The commander of the 105 colonist had a secret list of seven men that were picked by England to become the colony's councils. These men that were picked by the England monarchy was wealthy landowners. The colony's council had a specific job, they had to find a leader for these colonies/people. “The Seven council men picked Captain John Smith. “Colonial Voting restrictions reflected eighteenth-century English notions about gender, race, prudence, and financial success, as well as vested interest. Arguments for a white, male only electorate focused on what the men of the era conceived of as the delicate nature of women and their inability to deal with the course realities of politics, as well as convictions about race and other religion. African Americans and Native Americans were exclude, and, at different times and places, the protestant majority denied the vote to Catholic and Jews”.(Ed Crew) Only some black females and males good vote this was
They believe that if they allowed the commoners to vote. Then the system of the wealthy and poor will one day make all votes the same. To vote the colonist had to own land or land of a certain value. Benjamin Franklin was a posed by this statement. He Said “Today a man owners a donkey worth fifty dollars and he is entitled to vote; but before the next election the donkey dies. The man in the meantime has become more experienced, his knowledge of the principles of the government, and his acquaintance with mankind, are more extensive, and he is therefore better qualified to make a proper selection of rulers-but the donkey is dead and the man can not vote. Now gentlemen, pray inform me, in whom is the right of suffrage? In the man or the donkey?”(Benjamin