British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It originated with the overseas possessions and trading posts established by England between the late 16th an…
What type of government did the colonies have in colonial times?
Transcript of Representative Government in the Colonies. Many General Assemblies or other forms of representative government sprang up throughout the colonies. When William Penn established Pennsylvania he created a constitution for the colony. The Frames of Government was an important example of democracy in the colonies.
Why was representative government important in the colonies?
Transcript of Representative Government in the Colonies. Self- government in the colonies was important because colonists often had to solve their own problems. Many General Assemblies or other forms of representative government sprang up throughout the colonies. When William Penn established Pennsylvania he created a constitution for the colony.
How were colonists elected in the British colonies?
In royal colonies, the governor and the council were appointed by the British government. In proprietary colonies, these officials were appointed by proprietors, and they were elected in charter colonies. In every colony, the assembly was elected by property owners.
How was the legislative branch organized in a royal colony?
The executive branch was led by a governor, and the legislative branch was divided into two houses, a governor's council and a representative assembly. In royal colonies, the governor and the council were appointed by the British government.
In what ways were colonial governments representative?
A colonial legislature was elected by property holding males. But governors were appointed by the king and had almost complete authority — in theory. The legislatures controlled the salary of the governor and often used this influence to keep the governors in line with colonial wishes.
Why did colonists want a representative government?
Reasons for Representative Government in the Colonies. 1. The distance from England created a need for colonists to make their own laws to keep peace and order. 2.
When did representative government develop in the colonies?
16191619: House of Burgesses (representative) Established in 1619, the House of Burgesses was the first representative assembly in colonial British North American.
Which colonies had a representative government?
The lower house of a colonial legislature was a representative assembly. These assemblies were called by different names. Virginia had a House of Burgesses, Massachusetts had a House of Deputies, and South Carolina had a Commons House of Assembly.
What is an example of representation government?
Nearly all modern Western-style democracies function as some type of representative democracy: for example, the United Kingdom (a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy), India (a federal parliamentary republic), France (a unitary semi-presidential republic), and the United States (a federal presidential ...
What are 3 causes for growth of representative government in the colonies?
Why create a Representative Government?Distance from Europe.Colonists needed to make their own laws to keep peace and order.Colonists were used to English system (Parliament)Most colonies were self-governing.These colonies elected members for an assembly which made their laws.Communities were isolated.
How did representative self-government develop in the English colonies?
Because Great Britain was so far away (distance), the colonies needed government closer to home so they could make decisions and laws that affected their daily lives. The House of Burgesses, Mayflower Compact, and town meetings are early examples of the colonists practicing representative/self-government.
What are three examples of early representative government in the colonies?
Magna Carta, 1215 (E)Virginia House of Burgesses, 1619 (A)Mayflower Compact, 1620 (A)Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, 1639 (A)Petition of Right, 1628 (E)The English Bill of Rights, 1689 (E)
What was the first form of representative government in America?
In the summer of 1619 two significant changes occurred in the colony that would have lasting influence. One was the company's introduction of representative government to English America, which began on July 30 with the opening of the General Assembly.
What is the meaning of representative government?
Noun. representative government (countable and uncountable, plural representative governments) A government where citizens elect people to represent them and make laws on their behalf, instead of always voting directly on laws and other government actions.
What is responsible and representative government?
Responsible government: to be in government, a party or coalition of parties must have the support of the majority of members in the Lower House, in NSW this is the Legislative Assembly. The Leader of the Government and Ministers are elected representatives and chosen from this group.
What were the 3 types of colonial governments?
Colonial Government - Three Types of Government The names of these different types of government were Royal, Charter and Proprietary. These three types of government were implemented in the colonies and a colony would be referred to as either a Royal Colony, a Charter Colony or a Proprietary Colony.
What is the meaning of representative government?
Noun. representative government (countable and uncountable, plural representative governments) A government where citizens elect people to represent them and make laws on their behalf, instead of always voting directly on laws and other government actions.
Who introduced the idea of representative government?
In America, the acceptance of representative government as a legitimate democratic form has long-standing roots. The argument can be traced back to the English philosopher John Locke (1632–1704), whose Second Treatise of Government (1690) was widely read by the founders.
What is the difference between a representative government and a responsible government?
Responsible government refers to a government that is responsible to the people. It takes the form of a Cabinet that depends on the support of an elected assembly, rather than a monarch or their representatives. Responsible government first appeared in Canada in the 1830s. It became an important part of Confederation.
How did representative self-government develop in the English colonies?
Because Great Britain was so far away (distance), the colonies needed government closer to home so they could make decisions and laws that affected their daily lives. The House of Burgesses, Mayflower Compact, and town meetings are early examples of the colonists practicing representative/self-government.
What was the colonial government?
Colonial government in the Thirteen Colonies. The governments of the Thirteen Colonies of British America developed in the 17th and 18th centuries under the influence of the British constitution. After the Thirteen Colonies had become the United States, the experience under colonial rule would inform and shape the new state constitutions and, ...
Who was responsible for supervising the colonies?
After 1768, the Secretary of State for Colonial Affairs was responsible for supervising the colonies; however, this ministry suffered from ineffective secretaries and the jealousy of other government ministers.
Why was the royal administration of the colonies inadequate and inefficient?
Historian Robert Middlekauff describes royal administration of the colonies as inadequate and inefficient because lines of authority were never entirely clear. Before 1768, responsibility for colonial affairs rested with the Privy Council and the Secretary of State for the Southern Department. The Secretary relied on the Board of Trade to supply him with information and pass on his instructions to colonial officials. After 1768, the Secretary of State for Colonial Affairs was responsible for supervising the colonies; however, this ministry suffered from ineffective secretaries and the jealousy of other government ministers.
What were the thirteen colonies?
By the start of the American Revolution, the thirteen colonies had developed political systems featuring a governor exercising executive power and a bicameral legislature made up of a council and an assembly. The system was similar to the British constitution, with the governor corresponding to ...
How many colonies were there in the world?
The thirteen colonies were all founded with royal authorization, and authority continued to flow from the monarch as colonial governments exercised authority in the king's name. A colony's precise relationship to the Crown depended on whether it was a charter colony, proprietary colony or royal colony as defined in its colonial charter. Whereas royal colonies belonged to the Crown, proprietary and charter colonies were granted by the Crown to private interests.
Why did Richard Henry Lee criticize the Virginia colonial government?
Richard Henry Lee criticized Virginia's colonial government for lacking the balance and separation of powers found in the British constitution due to the council's lack of independence from the Crown.
How did the assembly restrict the governor's power?
Gradually, the assembly successfully restricted the governor's power by asserting for itself control over money bills, including the salaries of the governor and other officials. Therefore, a governor could find his salary withheld by an uncooperative legislature. Governors were often placed in an untenable position. Their official instructions from London demanded that they protect the Crown's power—the royal prerogative —from usurpation by the assembly; at the same time, they were also ordered to secure more colonial funding for Britain's wars against France. In return for military funding, the assemblies often demanded more power.
How was the colonial government created?
The colonial government was created through the Fundamental Constitution of Carolina. It favored large land ownership, eventually leading to the plantation system. The colony was known for having religious freedom.
What was the role of the colony in the 1700s?
Each colony was set up in a way such that by the mid-1700s, they had a strong capacity for self-government and held local elections. Some early colonial governments foreshadowed elements that would be found in the U.S. government after independence.
Why was the Pennsylvania colony founded?
Penn set up the colony to allow for religious freedom.
Why was the Connecticut colony founded?
The Connecticut colony was founded in 1636 when the Dutch established the first trading post on the Connecticut River, part of a movement of people who left the Massachusetts Bay Colony to find better land. Thomas Hooker organized the colony to have a means of defense against the local Pequots.
What was the British government's system of control in the 1700s?
By the 1700s, the British government controlled its colonies under mercantilism, a system that regulated the balance of trade in favor of Britain. Over time, colonists became frustrated with this unfair economic system and with Britain's administration of taxation of the colonies without any accompanying representation in Britain.
What was the purpose of James' death in 1625?
This helped to set a model and precedent for representative government in the other colonies.
Which colony was the first to be settled?
Virginia was the first permanently settled English colony, with the 1607 founding of Jamestown. The Virginia Company, a joint stock company which had been given the charter by King James I to found the colony, set up a General Assembly.
Why was self government important in the colonies?
Self- government in the colonies was important because colonists often had to solve their own problems.
When was the first representative colonial assembly created?
In 1619, the Virginia House of Burgesses became the first representative colonial assembly created in the 13 colonies
What would happen if townspeople elect representatives to a governing body?
Following this document, townspeople would elect representatives to a governing body. Those representatives would then elect a governor for the colony.
Who created the Constitution of Pennsylvania?
When William Penn established Pennsylvania he created a constitution for the colony. Many of the ideas incorporated into the document were progressive for the time
When did the Pilgrims land in Plymouth?
When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in 1620 , they created an agreement to form their own government and obey its laws. Everyone had to sign the compact before going onto the new land
Why did the colonial legislature control the governor's salary?
This was essential to the colonists, as it gave them more control over whether or not the laws they wanted would be passed. The governor was often seen in a bad light when he had to revoke laws to keep with the wishes of the crown. The crown declared that any governor who willfully disobeyed the orders or wishes of the crown would meet his doom. Laws could often be revoked by the crown months after they were established because it took so long to send reports to the crown and get a response back.
How could the government of a colony change?
The government of a colony could change simply by the crown writing a new charter. A royal colony could change to a proprietary colony, or a proprietary colony could be changed to a royal colony.
What was the royal government?
The royal government was democratic . The decisions for the government were often made at the county level, and laws could be made by the legislature. This legislature was dependent upon the hierarchal class system. Only white men over the age of 18 who owned land in the colony could vote or be elected.
What was the colonial legislature?
There was a colonial legislature that was composed of a group of society's economic elite. The legislature could be appointed by the governor, but was usually elected at the county level. In the southern colonies this was the planter class. This was a strong central government. The royal government was democratic.
What was the main function of the Royal Colony?
However, these laws could be revoked if the governor decided that they were not in the best interest of the monarchy. The main function of the royal colony was to benefit the English crown.
What did the king give to the colonists?
The king would give a land grant to a person or group of people. That person or group would essentially own the colony. They would control all of the actions of the people. They also controlled all institutions of the government. The other colonists had no control or voice in the government whatsoever. Maryland was the only southern colony that had ...
Which southern colony had a proprietary government?
Maryland was the only southern colony that had a proprietary government. The other southern colonies had a royal government. Royal colonies were owned by the crown and were ruled directly by the English monarchy. In the royal government, there was a governor who reported directly to the crown.
Overview
The governments of the Thirteen Colonies of British America developed in the 17th and 18th centuries under the influence of the British constitution. After the Thirteen Colonies had become the United States, the experience under colonial rule would inform and shape the new state constitutions and, ultimately, the United States Constitution.
Relation to the British government
By the start of the American Revolution, the thirteen colonies had developed political systems featuring a governor exercising executive power and a bicameral legislature made up of a council and an assembly. The system was similar to the British constitution, with the governor corresponding to the British monarch, the council to the House of Lords and the assembly to the House of Commons.
Branches
In royal colonies, governors were appointed by the Crown and represented its interests. Before 1689, governors were the dominant political figures in the colonies. They possessed royal authority transmitted through their commissions and instructions. Among their powers included the right to summon, prorogue and dissolve the elected assembly. Governors could also veto
Union proposals
Before the American Revolution, attempts to create a unified government for the thirteen colonies were unsuccessful. Multiple plans for a union were proposed at the Albany Congress in 1754. One of these plans, proposed by Benjamin Franklin, was the Albany Plan.
Demise
During the American Revolution, the colonial governments ceased to function effectively as royal governors prorogued and dissolved the assemblies. By 1773, committees of correspondence were governing towns and counties, and nearly all the colonies had established provincial congresses, which were legislative assemblies acting outside of royal authority. These were temporary measures, and it was understood that the provincial congresses were not equivalent to proper le…
See also
• Colonial history of the United States
• Proprietary House
Further reading
• Andrews, Charles M. Colonial Self-Government, 1652-1689 (1904) full text online
• Andrews, Charles M. The Colonial Period of American History (4 vol. 1934-38), the standard overview to 1700
• Bailyn, Bernard. The Origins of American Politics (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1968): an influential book arguing that the roots of the American Revolution lie in the colonial legislatures' struggles with the governors.