Democratic from the beginning? - Reader comments at The New York Sun

Reader comment on:
In the Hour of Our Pride

Submitted by T.R.C. Hutton, May 21, 2007 14:06

Democratic from the beginning? Do you mean from the beginning of British colonization when a very large segment of the white population showed up as indentured servants? Or do you mean from 1776? It took decades after that for every state to remove property requirements that kept all white males from voting. It wasn't until 1870 that African American males were guaranteed a vote and nearly five decades later women were recognized to have the same right. Native Americans were able to vote shortly afterward but it wasn't until relatively recently that all young men who could be drafted and die in a war could vote for their "leaders." Democratic from the beginning? We're just getting started.

Note: Comments are screened, and in some cases edited, before posting. We reserve the right to reject anything we find objectionable.

Reader comment on:
In the Hour of Our Pride

Other reader comments on this article

Comment on In the Hour of Our Pride

Reader comment on:In the Hour of Our Pride

Other reader comments on this article

Comment on In the Hour of Our Pride

Reader comment on:
In the Hour of Our Pride