Omar Bennett
The House of Burgesses was the first legislative body in the North American colonies, established in 1619 and lasting until 1776. It was the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly, which was the first legislative assembly in the American colonies. The House of Burgesses was an important feature of Virginian politics, and its members included George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry. The House of Burgesses played a significant role in the formation of the United States government and the creation of the Constitution. After Virginia declared its independence in 1776, the House of Burgesses was transformed into the House of Delegates, which continues to serve as the lower house of the General Assembly. The legacy of the House of Burgesses and its influence on the development of representative government in the United States are important aspects to consider when examining the creation of the Constitution and the foundations of American democracy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time period | 1619-1776 |
| Location | Virginia |
| Type of body | Legislative assembly |
| Composition | Governor, council, and burgesses (elected representatives) |
| Function | Passed laws, determined local taxation, managed local affairs |
| Influence | First popularly elected legislative body in the American colonies, served as a model for other English colonies |
| Relationship to Constitution | Helped establish the principle of consent of the governed, influenced the development of representative assemblies |
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What You'll Learn
The House of Burgesses was the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly
The House of Burgesses was established by Governor George Yeardley, who arrived in Virginia from England in April 1619. He announced that the Virginia Company had voted to abolish martial law and create a legislative assembly, known as the General Assembly. The General Assembly first met on 30 July 1619 in the church at Jamestown, with Yeardley, the Council, and 22 burgesses representing 11 plantations (or settlements) in attendance. The burgesses were elected representatives, although only white men who owned a specific amount of property were eligible to vote for them. The House of Burgesses, like the British House of Commons, granted supplies and originated laws, while the governor and council enjoyed the right of revision and veto, as did the king and the House of Lords in England.
The General Assembly was initially a unicameral body, with the burgesses meeting alongside the governor and his council. However, in 1643, Governor Sir William Berkeley divided the House of Burgesses off as a separate chamber of the now bicameral assembly. From then on, the burgesses met separately from the Council of State. Each county sent two burgesses to the House, while some towns could petition to send a single representative. Only the burgesses were elected by a vote of the people, while all other county offices, including judges, sheriffs, and clerks, were appointed positions. Over time, the voting requirements became more restrictive, and by 1670, only property owners were allowed to vote.
The House of Burgesses played a crucial role in the lead-up to the American Revolution. In 1774, when the House began to support resistance to the Crown, Virginia's royal governor, John Murray, Earl of Dunmore, dissolved it. In 1776, Virginia adopted a new constitution, creating a new General Assembly composed of an elected Senate and an elected House of Delegates, which replaced the House of Burgesses. The House of Delegates, also known as the House of Burgesses by another name, continued to serve as the lower house of the General Assembly, holding most of the governmental power.
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It was the first popularly elected legislative body in the New World
The House of Burgesses was the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly from 1619 to 1776. It was an important feature of Virginian politics during this period, alongside the Crown-appointed colonial governor and the Virginia Governor's Council, the upper house of the General Assembly. The House of Burgesses was the first popularly elected legislative body in the New World.
The House of Burgesses was established by Governor George Yeardley at Jamestown on 30 July 1619. It included the governor himself and a council appointed by the colonial proprietor (the Virginia Company), along with two elected burgesses (delegates) from each of the colony's 11 settlements. The assembly met in Jamestown until 1700, when meetings were moved to Williamsburg, the newly established capital of colonial Virginia.
The House of Burgesses was an outgrowth of the first elective governing body in a British overseas possession, the General Assembly of Virginia, which was established in 1619. The General Assembly was the first legislative assembly in the American colonies. It was modelled after the English Parliament and included the governor, a council, and 22 burgesses representing 11 plantations or settlements. Only white men who owned a specific amount of property were eligible to vote for Burgesses.
The House of Burgesses played an important role in the colonial history of Virginia and the development of American politics. It was a representative assembly that granted supplies and originated laws, while the governor and council enjoyed the right of revision and veto, similar to the British House of Commons. The House of Burgesses also paved the way for the First Continental Congress and the revolution in Virginia, leading to the creation of an independent Commonwealth of Virginia with a new constitution in 1776.
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It was modelled after the English Parliament
The House of Burgesses was the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly from 1619 to 1776. It was an important feature of Virginian politics during this period, alongside the Crown-appointed colonial governor and the Virginia Governor's Council, the upper house of the General Assembly. The House of Burgesses was thus part of the first legislative assembly in the American colonies.
The General Assembly was established in 1619 and modelled after the English Parliament. In 1643, it became a bicameral body, establishing the House of Burgesses as one of its two chambers. The House of Burgesses was formed after Governor William Berkeley urged the creation of a bicameral legislature, which the Assembly implemented. Like the British House of Commons, the House of Burgesses granted supplies and originated laws, and the governor and council enjoyed the right of revision and veto, as did the king and the House of Lords in England.
The English Parliament, on the other hand, has a long history dating back to the 13th century and the Magna Carta, which recognised the right to free movement of people for international trade. Over the centuries, Parliament became the dominant branch of the state, above the judiciary, executive, monarchy, and church. It can make or unmake any law, a power usually justified by its democratic election and upholding of the rule of law, including human rights and international law.
The English Parliament's sovereignty is also reflected in its ability to repeal or amend constitutional statutes through simple majority votes, without the additional requirements needed in countries with entrenched constitutions, like the United States. The UK Parliament's power is limited only by the possibility of extra-parliamentary action and the sovereign states with which it has treaties.
In summary, the House of Burgesses in Virginia was modelled after the English Parliament in its structure and functions, reflecting the colonists' claims to traditional English rights and their insistence on raising their own representative assemblies.
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It was replaced by the House of Delegates
The House of Burgesses was the first popularly elected legislative body in the New World. It was established in 1619 in the Colony of Virginia, which was then British America, and was the first elected representative government in America. The House of Burgesses was an important feature of Virginian politics, alongside the Crown-appointed colonial governor and the Virginia Governor's Council, the upper house of the General Assembly.
The House of Burgesses was established by Governor George Yeardley, who arrived in Virginia in April 1619 and announced that the Virginia Company had voted to abolish martial law and create a legislative assembly, known as the General Assembly. The General Assembly was established on 30 July 1619, and included the governor, a council, and 22 burgesses representing 11 plantations or settlements. The burgesses were elected representatives, and only white men who owned a specific amount of property were eligible to vote for them.
In 1643, Governor Sir William Berkeley split the House of Burgesses off as a separate chamber of the thereafter bicameral assembly. The House of Burgesses granted supplies and originated laws, and the governor and council enjoyed the right of revision and veto, as did the king and the House of Lords in England.
In 1776, Virginia declared its independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain and became the independent Commonwealth of Virginia. The House of Burgesses was then transformed into the House of Delegates, which continues to serve as the lower house of the General Assembly, the legislative branch of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The House of Delegates is considered the oldest continuous legislative body in the New World. The House of Burgesses officially ended on 6 May 1776, when the last meeting was held, and the members "determined not to adjourn, but let that body die."
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It was a representative assembly in colonial Virginia
The House of Burgesses was a representative assembly in colonial Virginia, which was an outgrowth of the first elective governing body in a British overseas possession, the General Assembly of Virginia. The General Assembly was established in 1619 by Governor George Yeardley at Jamestown on July 30, 1619, and included the governor himself, a council appointed by the colonial proprietor (the Virginia Company), and two elected burgesses (delegates) from each of the colony's 11 settlements. The assembly met in Jamestown until 1700 when meetings were moved to Williamsburg, the new capital of colonial Virginia.
The House of Burgesses was the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly from 1619 to 1776. It was an important feature of Virginian politics during this period, alongside the Crown-appointed colonial governor and the Virginia Governor's Council, the upper house of the General Assembly. The House of Burgesses was one of two chambers of the General Assembly, which became bicameral in 1643. The burgesses met separately from the Council of State and, like the British House of Commons, granted supplies and originated laws. The governor and council, however, enjoyed the right of revision and veto, just as the king and the House of Lords in England.
The House of Burgesses was the first popularly elected legislative body in the New World. It was established during the colonial history of the United States in the Colony of Virginia, which was then British America. The House of Burgesses was a crucial part of the colonial constitutional order, as both the mother country and the colonies had representative legislative bodies. The colonists drew upon their claims to traditional English rights and insisted on raising their own representative assemblies. The House of Burgesses, therefore, served as a model for representative government and self-governance in the American colonies.
The House of Burgesses ceased to meet as a lawmaking body and as the lower house of Virginia's General Assembly during the American Revolution. In 1774, when the House of Burgesses began to support resistance to the Crown, Virginia's royal governor, John Murray, Earl of Dunmore, dissolved it. The Virginia Constitution of 1776 created a new General Assembly that replaced the governor's Council with an elected Senate and the House of Burgesses with an elected House of Delegates. The House of Delegates was the House of Burgesses by another name, and it continues to serve as the lower house of the General Assembly.
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Frequently asked questions
The House of Burgesses was the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly from 1619 to 1776. It was the first popularly elected legislative body in the New World.
The House of Burgesses influenced the US Constitution by establishing the principle of consent of the governed and serving as a model for representative government. The House of Burgesses also helped pave the way for the American Revolution and the creation of an independent Virginia, with its own constitution.
The House of Burgesses ceased to meet as a lawmaking body during the American Revolution. The Virginia Constitution of 1776 transformed the House of Burgesses into the House of Delegates, which continues to serve as the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly.
