House of Burgesses

The House of Burgesses was the first legislative body in the American colonies, located in Jamestown, the capital of the Colony of Virginia. The House met for the first time on July 30, 1619 at a church. It grew to be a powerful political force, and many of the American Revolutionary leaders got their starts there, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry.

see History of Virginia

## Structure[edit]

The House of Burgesses was comprised of 22 members. The head was the governor of Virginia, who was appointed by the Virginia Company in London. The governor appointed his council of 6 members. The remaining 15 were elected by colonial property holders, and the members came from the large plantation owners. This group was known as the Lower House.

## See also[edit]

* David Crawford