Final answer:
Each state in the Continental Congress cast a single vote, with nine votes needed to pass legislation. Political participation required property or tax payment, and religious tests could restrict voting rights. The Electoral College system later gave states votes based on congressional representation, and the three-fifths compromise counted enslaved individuals partially for representation purposes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Representation of the Thirteen Colonies
During the era of the Thirteen Colonies, several important events and legislations shaped the representation and voting rights within what would become the United States. In the Continental Congress, which played a crucial role during the American Revolution, each state delegation cast a single vote. This one-vote-per-state system meant that nine state's votes were required to enact legislation under the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution. Changes to the Articles required a unanimous vote of all 13 states, an exceedingly difficult achievement, reflecting the deep-rooted fear of a strong central government. This sentiment against centralized power stemmed from the colonists' experiences with British rule, leading them to favor self-governance in small communities.
The First Continental Congress saw representatives from twelve of the colonies convene, with only Georgia not represented initially. The Congress discussed responses to British policies, among other issues. The basis for political participation and voting rights was landed property or tax payment; most colonies required these criteria to be met for voting eligibility, and they often had additional restrictions like religious tests. The Electoral College system, established after the formation of the United States, allocated votes to states based on their congressional representation, which comprises the total number of senators and representatives.
Additionally, the counting of enslaved individuals for tax and representation purposes led to the adoption of the three-fifths compromise. This allowed states with large slave populations to count enslaved people as three-fifths of a person when determining state populations for taxation and representation.