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In 1845, the United States was largely an agrarian society. Farmers often needed a full day to travel by horse-drawn vehicles to the county seat to vote. Tuesda

by riffic 16y ago

In 1845, the United States was largely an agrarian society. Farmers often needed a full day to travel by horse-drawn vehicles to the county seat to vote. Tuesday was established as election day because it did not interfere with the Biblical Sabbath or with market day, which was on Wednesday in many towns. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Day_(United_States) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Day_(United_States)

jdub 16y ago
That's great, but it's not 1845, and I know that not all Americans are Constitutional fundamentalist nutjobs. :-)
SkyMarshal 16y ago
So why not Saturday? That article doesn't mention it. Neither sabbath nor market day, yet still a weekend day. Or did people back then consider Saturday a regular work/week day too?
- rue 16y ago
  Not Saturday because it would, presumably, take that same whole day to get back.
  - btilly 16y ago
    And note that market day tended to be in the same town where you voted, so arriving a day early was much of a hardship.