Why house of burgesses was important

The House of Burgesses was the first legislative assembly in the Americas. They were popularly elected after the colonist claimed that they insisted on having their own representation. The House of Burgesses CE was the first English representative government in North America, established in July CE, for the purpose of passing laws and maintaining order in the Jamestown Colony of Virginia and other settlements that had grown up around it.

With its origin in the first meeting of the Virginia General Assembly at Jamestown in July , the House of Burgesses was the first democratically-elected legislative body in the British American colonies.

About years later, when Washington was elected, the electorate was made up of male landholders. Its first law, which, like all of its laws, would have to be approved by the London Company, required tobacco to be sold for at least three shillings per pound. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, and other great revolutionary leaders of Virginia served first in the House of Burgesses, where they learned the skills that enabled them to lead in founding the new nation.

Encyclopedia Virginia Grady Ave. Virginia Humanities acknowledges the Monacan Nation , the original people of the land and waters of our home in Charlottesville, Virginia. We invite you to learn more about Indians in Virginia in our Encyclopedia Virginia. Skip to content. Contributor: Matthew S. Alexander Spotswood. Summer Governor Sir George Yeardley calls for the election of two burgesses from each of Virginia's eleven settlements to sit on a new unicameral legislature that also includes the governor's Council, the colony's secretary, and the treasurer.

July 30, The General Assembly holds its first meeting with Governor Sir George Yeardley, the governor's Council, and twenty-two burgesses in a unicameral session in the church at Jamestown.

March The burgesses begin sitting apart as a separate branch of the General Assembly. The governor's Council becomes the upper House of the colony's bicameral legislature. June The House of Burgesses—voted into office in the first general election since —passes a series of reforms including the repeal of the voting law. Charles II later orders these laws repealed because he thinks, incorrectly, that Nathaniel Bacon forced them into existence.

While the House of Burgesses remains an important part of the Virginia government over the next quarter-century, it serves as a junior partner to the governor and his Council. The House of Burgesses continues to meet on its own. May The House of Burgesses ceases to meet as a lawmaking body and as the lower house of Virginia's General Assembly during the American Revolution.

June 29, The Virginia Convention adopts a new constitution that transforms Virginia into an independent republic with the House of Delegates holding most of the governmental power. Billings, Warren M. Richmond: Library of Virginia, Evans, Emory G. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, Greene, Jack P. New York: W. Griffith, Lucille. Virginia House of Burgesses — Northport, Alabama: Colonial Press, Kolp, John Gilman.

First Last. Ben Davis April 8, What is the House of Burgesses and why is it important? What best describes the House of Burgesses? What is the House of Burgesses known as today? Who served in the House of Burgesses? How did the House of Burgesses work?

Why did they create the House of Burgesses? What type of government is the House of Burgesses? How was the House of Burgesses democratic? How were members of the House of Burgesses chosen? What made Jamestown successful? Previous Article How do you write a proper footnote?