Colonial America, 1607-1763

I. Different Types of Colonies

1. Corporate Colonies (CT, RI)
a.Colonies in which companies obtained a charter from king to
settle and start a new government.
i. Ex. Joint Stock Company: A company which has the money of its
members pooled in a common fund.

2.Proprietary Colonies (DE, MD, PA)

a. Person or Group given land by Britain
b. Free to rule as they wished.
3.Royal Colonies (GA, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, SC, VA).
a. Britain directly ruled these colonies.
b. The King appointed a governor.
 II. British Colonial Policy
Copy of British Form of Government
1. The Governor.
a. appointed by the King or the
proprietor
b. Financially dependent on the
colonists.
2. The Colonial Assemblies.
a. Served as advisors to
governor.
b. Legislators pursued their
own interests.
 British Colonial Policy
Copy of British Form of Government
3. Colonists think of themselves as Englishmen.
a. Parliamentary legislation applied to entire British Empire.
i. No elected representatives from colonies.
ii. Virtual vs. actual representation
b. No true centralized government in colonies.
i. Colonies worked independent of the others.
4. Most common form of government
a. Colonial Assembly
i. Virginia House of Burgesses
1. Elected Representatives make laws for all citizens
b. Town Hall Meeting
i. New England
1. Democracy in its purest form.
2. Church members met to elect their officials and attend civic issues
 The Origins of Early
Government in the Colonies
1. Magna Carta
2. The Virginia House of Burgesses
3. The Mayflower Compact
4. Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
5. English Bill of Rights, 1689
I. The Signing of the Magna Carta,
1215
1. King John, constantly demanded money
and men for wars
2. In 1215 King John forced to agree that he
had no right to demand property without
ppls consent.
3. King must now get consent of the people
a. King is bound by a higher law that limits his authority .
II. Virginia House of Burgesses,
1619
1. 1619 the first representative government
appears in Virginia.
a. imposed taxes, made laws, ran the colony
b. modeled after the English Parliament.
III. Signing of the Mayflower
Compact
1. 1620, Pilgrims write a contract that
allows for self-government.
2. Promised that every adult male would
vote for the Governor and his advisors on
a yearly basis.
3. It supports the idea of representative govt.
IV. Fundamental Orders of Connecticut,
1639
 Fundamental Orders of Connecticut,
1639
1. First written constitution in North America.
2. It was an outline for self-government of the
colony.
a. Adult males elected a governor, assistants, and a
legislative assembly to make laws for the
community.
V. English Bill of Rights, 1689
1. William & Mary agree to give Parliament and
people more power than the monarchs after
the Glorious Revolution:
a. Parliament agrees on laws not the king
b. Parliament raise taxes
c. Parliament okays the raising of an army
d. Parliament and public have free speech against
the government
e. Trial by jury
f. Elections and debates
 Main Themes of Colonies
1. Neglect 2. Legislatures

a. Colonies were largely a. The various colonial

neglected and left alone
by Britain due to other
concerns at home.
b. Allowed colonies to
develop at their own b. Self-government is a
pace
c.Called Salutary Neglect
legislatures considered
themselves a
parliament for the
colonies.
tough thing to give up
once it is experienced.
i. Moving out of
parents house and
then moving back in
 Colonial Government (Recap)
1. Colonial governments like the House of
Burgesses elect their own representatives
2. Representatives made laws, imposed
taxes, fines and managed colonial affairs
3. Colonists believe they are Englishmen
and should have a say in their government