- Only white male landowners were allowed to vote.
- This excluded women, African Americans, Native Americans, and indentured servants, who made up a significant portion of the population.
Property requirements:
- In most colonies, voters were required to own a certain amount of property, which further restricted the franchise.
Religious restrictions:
- In some colonies, only members of certain Protestant denominations were allowed to vote or hold office.
Political power concentrated in the hands of the wealthy:
- Wealthy landowners and merchants dominated colonial politics, and the interests of the common people were often overlooked.
Limited freedom of speech and press:
- Colonial governments could censor newspapers and punish those who expressed dissenting views.
Slave Codes:
- Enslaved Africans had no political rights and were subject to harsh treatment and violence.