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Minorities In The American Revolution

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The American Revolution as a whole particularly benefited the rich white male. These men, in particular lawyers or politicians who studied law at the university, benefited the most because they were now simply free to rule and rise to power; there was no dictating government since the English Parliament was to rule over the newly independent colonies. These typically wealthy men, who could vote and hold office, often tended to be owners of land and other valuable assets, which only they could afford. Therefore, this did not give poor white men, minorities, or women the right or ability to vote simply because of their lack of wealth and status in society at the time. One’s wealth at the time also determined their social status, in addition to their family name. The wealthy white landowners, who were typically men, had direct connections in both politics and religion by being directly involved in the Church. A Christian society, predominantly Catholic at this time, converted …show more content…
Many slaves or former slaves fought in the Revolutionary War, with many colonies recognizing these slaves as free men, some of them even passing laws allowing them to vote with specific requirements. Mainly colonies, such as Pennsylvania and Virginia, began working on certain laws to allow these slaves to be set free, specifically the black men who had fought in the Revolutionary War. Other states, such as Massachusetts, still held prejudices against blacks, Indians, and other minorities. When drafting their state constitution after the Revolutionary War, Massachusetts granted the right to vote to every adult male property owner, with the exception of “negroes, Indians and mulattoes." Certain states allowed minorities some rights and freedoms, but minorities would still be discriminated against in certain areas because the states made their own decisions on state issues after the Revolutionary

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