Final answer:
The House of Burgesses was a legislative body where members, called Burgesses, were elected by Virginia colony residents, with each settlement having the right to elect two representatives. All free men could vote, creating a democratic element in the colonial government. The Governor's Council, on the other hand, was appointed by the Crown and was not elected by the colonists.
Step-by-step explanation:
The House of Burgesses was an important step in the development of representative government in the American colonies. Members of this legislative body, known as Burgesses, were chosen to represent the interests of the Virginian colonists. In 1619, the Virginia Company established the House of Burgesses, wherein each settlement was allowed to elect two representatives, providing the first example of democracy in the New World.
All free men in the colony could vote for their representatives, making the Burgesses the only elected members of the government for the colony at that time. However, the upper house, the Governor's Council, was not elected by the colonists but appointed for life by the Crown. Over time, the House of Burgesses expanded to include two elected representatives for each county and one for towns and the College of William and Mary.