In the American colonies, what did a man need to have before he could vote?

Due to the requirement that every man own land back then, very few men were able to vote.

In the American colonies, the requirements for voting varied significantly depending on the specific colony and its governing laws. However, in general, men needed to meet certain qualifications before they could vote. These qualifications typically included factors such as age, property ownership, and citizenship status.

Age: Generally, men needed to be of a certain age to be eligible to vote. This age requirement varied but often ranged from 21 to 25 years old.

Property Ownership: Many colonies required voters to own property, usually land or real estate, in order to be eligible to vote. The rationale behind this requirement was to limit voting rights to individuals who had a stake in the community and were financially invested in its well-being. The amount of property required could vary significantly depending on the colony and its laws.

Citizenship Status: Citizenship status was another important requirement for voting in the American colonies. Typically, only free men who were citizens of the colony or of English descent were allowed to vote. This excluded indentured servants, slaves, and individuals who were not considered full citizens.

Residency: Some colonies also required voters to be residents of the colony or of a particular locality for a certain period of time before they could vote. This residency requirement aimed to ensure that voters had a sufficient understanding of local issues and interests.

Religious Affiliation: In some colonies, religious affiliation or adherence to a particular denomination was a factor in determining voting eligibility. For example, in colonial Massachusetts, only members of the Puritan church were allowed to vote.

Overall, the requirements for voting in the American colonies reflected the prevailing social and political norms of the time, which often emphasized property ownership, citizenship, and social status as prerequisites for political participation. These requirements varied from colony to colony and evolved over time as the colonies developed and expanded their political systems.