Right To Vote Dbq

Prior to the 1790 Pennsylvania Constitution the only citizens of Pennsylvania that were aloud to vote were wealthy men. Wealthy men, not just wealthy white men, all men with a significant amount of money and land were permitted to vote. When poor citizens began to have the right to vote as well is when the shift from class based discrimination changed to racial discrimination. In the 1790 Pennsylvania Constitution Article three stated “In elections by the citizens, every freeman of the age of twenty-one years, having resided in the state two years next before the election, and within that time paid a state or county tax, which shall have been assessed at least six months before the election, shall enjoy the rights of an elector…” Depending

The Whigs and the Democrats were competing for county commissioner. The Democrats were defeated and blamed their loss of the fact that blacks were allowed to vote in Bucks county. They tried to reverse the results by making African American votes illegal. Democrats claimed blacks who went to the voting polls used guns and threatened to shoot, their accusations had no detail and no proof(****). Benjamin Lundy, an anislave publisher noted that voting day was held on the first day of hunting season so many blacks and whites were seen with their guns at the voting polls(****). Many disregarded what Lundy wrote and accepted the fake story. The democrats gained more support and with more support comes more power. Once they had the support the democrats took it to court. Judge John Fox declared that blacks did not have the right to vote in Bucks county anymore. But that wasn't good enough freed slaves still had to much influence. The issue then moved to the Supreme Court. Chief Justice John B. Gibson reached the same conclusion. African Americans were “inferior” and thus didn't deserve the right to vote. Yet again so called “free” Africans Americans denied political

African Americans continue to fight and object at several more conventions and public meetings. In January of 1838 John R. Ross argued that giving freed slaves the right to vote could affect the security and the happiness of everyday life. He thought that african americans could not and should not vote because they had no concept of civil liberty. The black community supporter Peter A. Jay emphasised that african americans have committed no crime. They are being persecuted just on the color of their skin. He also made the point that both Virginia and North Carolina allowed free people of color to vote. Another advocate Robert Purvis created a document discussing why people of color have the same voting rights as their white counterparts. He appealed in March of 1838. Claiming african americans were proud to be pennsylian and should be able to contribute to its democracy. At this time 18,768 people of color lived in Pennsylvania. They contribute over 1,350,000 in taxes, they are stimulating the economy with home ownership and renting. Though these acts don't bring immediate success they are steps towards political