Not only is 2020 an election year, it is also the 100th
anniversary U.S. women winning the right to vote. In recognition of this milestone, I will be
writing a series of blogs on the history of the vote. This is the first one.
In 1607, the first permanent English colony in North America
was founded at Jamestown, Virginia. From that time on, voting rights have been
all over the map – literally.
As the colonies were established, common English beliefs
about race, gender, judgement, wealth, religion, and property ownership
influenced who was considered eligible to vote. There was much variability
across time and place. These beliefs did not manifest as universal suffrage in
any of the colonies. In some places, free blacks, Native Americans and/or women
who owned property could vote, but these were the exceptions.
“Bacon’s Rebellion” resulted in far-reaching and
long-lasting changes in the social order and enfranchisement. In 1676, Nathaniel
Bacon led a group of disgruntled frontiersmen, indentured servants, free blacks
and enslaved people in a revolt against the colonial governor, Sir William
Berkeley. Bacon alleged that the governor was corrupt and protected the Indians
for his own benefit
.
NPS image
After chasing Berkley from Jamestown, and eventually burning
the Virginia colonial capitol, forces sent from England ultimately suppressed
the rebellion.
The government was put under stronger royal control. Property
requirements for voting were restored. Indentured servitude was eliminated,
while hardening the codes for African slavery and restricting the rights of
free blacks. This was done in an effort to divide the races and prevent
coalitions that could lead to future uprisings. Within a few decades, all colonies
had enacted similar laws preventing enslaved persons and free blacks from
voting.
Colonies with large
Protestant majorities often denied the vote to Catholics and Jews. After 70
years of the Maryland Toleration Act requiring religious tolerance, Maryland
barred Catholics from voting in 1718. Nearly three decades later, in 1737, the
New York General Assembly disenfranchised Jews. At that time, four colonies
prevented Jews and five prevented Catholics from voting.
By 1732, each of the 13 colonies had imposed some type of restrictions
requiring voters to be landowners, taxpayers, and/or men who owned a
substantial amount of personal property.
Voters in colonial times often had to travel long distances
to a courthouse or other polling place, which meant incurring expenses for food
and lodging while losing time from earning their livings. Presumably, this
discouraged turnout, especially of rural voters. However, election days became
social occasions in many places. Amidst much eating and drinking, the qualified
voters would gather and designate their preferences by standing or voice votes,
making each person’s choices public. Some colonies published lists showing how
each person had voted.
More formal voting procedures were enacted in some colonies.
Charles S. Sydnor described Virginia’s practices in his book, Gentlemen
Freeholders: Political Practices in Washington's Virginia, this way:
As each freeholder came before the sheriff,
his name was called out in a loud voice, and the sheriff inquired how he would
vote. The freeholder replied by giving the name of his preference. The
appropriate clerk then wrote down the voter's name, the sheriff announced it as
enrolled, and often the candidate for whom he had voted arose, bowed, and
publicly thanked him.
Initially only a few colonies used some form of ballot, but
over time, secret paper ballots replaced public voting.
To be continued in my February blog.
.jpg)
