One of the first was the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1619. The House of Burgesses was the first representative assembly in America, an obvious step towards a democratic government. This representative assembly was followed by The Mayflower Compact in 1620, a document written by the pilgrims. This deed instituted that that all decisions were to be made by a majority rule. It was a very early form of colonial self government with a huge element of democracy, people have the power. The first written constitution in American history was written 19 years after the Mayflower Compact, in 1639. It was titled The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut and was a prominent step towards a democratic society. It established a representative government consisting of a legislature that was elected by popular vote and then a governor elected by that legislature. One of the latest acts that encouraged democracy was The Act of Toleration, in 1649. It was the first colonial statute granting religious freedom to all Christians. Although today this is an example of limited democracy, it was the first step towards religious freedom for all. Together these small events added up to encourage change in the colonial …show more content…
Peter Zenger challenged this idea as a New York editor and publisher when he printed criticism aimed at New York’s royal governor. Although the criticism was true, it still injured the governor’s reputation which was against the law. As Zenger was brought to trial, the nation was about to undergo a major step forward into a democratic government. The lawyer assigned to this case was Andrew Hamilton, who argued that since Zenger was printing the truth he should not be jailed. The jury ruled to acquit Zenger and although freedom of the press wasn’t guaranteed with the ruling, it encouraged writers to challenge the rules and take greater risks. This was the first step towards a fundamental freedom America grants today — freedom of the