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The Public Sphere: Voting In Early America

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The Public Sphere The public sphere is a part of social life in which, during the eighteenth century, colonist came together to discuss politics, making a more tranquil government, and economic interests (Foner 149). The colonist participated by voting, joining and creating assemblies, and forming political clubs. There were many differences over politics and policies, however they hardly ever produced civil disorder (Foner 149). Due to the public sphere colonist could come together and resolve problems. The right to vote in the colonies was almost everywhere restricted to white male property owners (Crews, “Voting in Early America”). This was to insure that they were independent and active in the colonial economy. A high percentage …show more content…

These assemblies insisted that they had the same rights and power as the House of Commons in Britain (Foner 152). Due to their rise in power governors, which were the focal point of political authority at the time, had to win their favor and keep the assemblies as allies. However, this peace did not last long and conflicts soon began to arise between governors and assemblies. The assemblies soon became known as the defender of people’s liberty. They believed in the writings of English Country Party, participation in government, and consent to the government (Foner …show more content…

This widespread literacy produced a market for the printing press and printed materials. By this time three-quarters of the male population and one-third of women could read and write (Foner 154). Due to the increase of printed materials libraries appeared in many colonial cities. The first library was established by Benjamin Franklin, it was called the Library Company of Philadelphia (Foner 154). The Library Company of Philadelphia was the largest public library at the time and had a wide arrange of books and documents (Library Company of Philadelphia, “Program in Early American Economy & Society”). This allowed for colonist to be more intelligent. Due to the market of printed materials the printing press became popular for creating newspapers. By 1740 there were thirteen colonial newspapers and that later grew to twenty-five in 1765. Some most popular were the Boston News-Letter, the Pennsylvania Gazette, and the New England Courant (Foner 154). Newspapers initially were used to advertise but then changed to reporting politics and religious

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