House of Burgesses
House of Burgesses
America is a nation that gives its people freedoms and power through its government, but it did not come to be over night, it has been in the making for hundreds of years. There have been many factors that have made America what we know today. Initially the first Americans did not have an established government, they did not even have an assembly to represent the people. The first official Legislative assembly in the English colonies was the House of Burgesses (*history.com*). It was not much of a government, but was a representative party that looked for the best interest of the colonists. That in itself was a big accomplishment for the time, considering there was no such assembly in the colonies of France, or Spain (*2f. The House of Burgesses*). After the newfound land of Virginia, was discovered by the English, (who were the “super powers” of the time) they started to chart and colonize these lands. At first England charted the lands to find gold and other riches, but later discovered that the vast lands of America could be used as outlets for needed resources for the crown, such as: wheat, corn, and later the cash crop of tobacco. In charge of this great enterprise was the Virginia Company of England. In order to accomplish the great tasks they had planed for the settlements the Crown had to better control and organize the Virginia Company, the land was amongst 2 smaller companies, The London Company and The Plymouth Company. After establishing the sub-companies, the Virginia Companies obtained a royal charter, the Charter of 1606, enabling them to establish a colony, granting the right to coin money, raise revenue, and to make laws, but reserving much power for King James (*Colonial Virginia*). The plan for the London Company was to establish, supply and support colonial outposts in America, and to gain revenue through agriculture, export, trade, and the discovery of certain mineral riches (*1609*). The company’s main
America is a nation that gives its people freedoms and power through its government, but it did not come to be over night, it has been in the making for hundreds of years. There have been many factors that have made America what we know today. Initially the first Americans did not have an established government, they did not even have an assembly to represent the people. The first official Legislative assembly in the English colonies was the House of Burgesses (*history.com*). It was not much of a government, but was a representative party that looked for the best interest of the colonists. That in itself was a big accomplishment for the time, considering there was no such assembly in the colonies of France, or Spain (*2f. The House of Burgesses*). After the newfound land of Virginia, was discovered by the English, (who were the “super powers” of the time) they started to chart and colonize these lands. At first England charted the lands to find gold and other riches, but later discovered that the vast lands of America could be used as outlets for needed resources for the crown, such as: wheat, corn, and later the cash crop of tobacco. In charge of this great enterprise was the Virginia Company of England. In order to accomplish the great tasks they had planed for the settlements the Crown had to better control and organize the Virginia Company, the land was amongst 2 smaller companies, The London Company and The Plymouth Company. After establishing the sub-companies, the Virginia Companies obtained a royal charter, the Charter of 1606, enabling them to establish a colony, granting the right to coin money, raise revenue, and to make laws, but reserving much power for King James (*Colonial Virginia*). The plan for the London Company was to establish, supply and support colonial outposts in America, and to gain revenue through agriculture, export, trade, and the discovery of certain mineral riches (*1609*). The company’s main
Cited: Virginia. Colonial Virginia. http://www.usahistory.info/southern/Virginia.html