Colonial governments given power by charters: Proprietary—one or more individuals controlled the colony Company Royal The monarch had the sole power to grant charters
Privy Council—a group of royal advisors that set English policy in the colonies; allowed most colonies to run their own affairs Governors—served as head of government; most assisted by and advisory council; monarch selected governor and councilmen in royal colonies; proprietors did so in proprietary colonies; CT elected governor; job of governor to carry out policies set by crown
Assemblies: elected to help make laws Based on Parliament Bicameral —law making body made up of two houses
Privy council: ensured all laws complied with royal policy
Virginia Assembly: established at Jamestown in 1619; first colonial legislature in North America Two Houses: Council of State: Selected by governor’s advisory council and the Virginia Company House of Burgesses—elected by colonists Disagreement: assemblies would refuse to pay salaries
Town Meeting—center of New England politics; decided on local issues—paying for schools, ownership and use of unsettled lands; selected town officials; met at least once a year South—lived too far away from one another—decisions made at the county level Middle colonies—combination of town and county meetings in local governments
Colonists used courts whenever possible to control local affairs—Example: a Massachusetts court would uphold Puritan ideas
Zenger found not guilty
1685: James II becomes King of England—believed northern colonies had become too independent—wanted them more connected with England (more united effort against Indian war—Wikipedia)
1686: James II united Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island under a single government—the Dominion on New England Sir Edmund Andros appointed governor of Dominion Dominion government: Replaced original charters—no assemblies 1688: Andros limited town meetings 1687: Andros arrested individuals protesting tax policies
James II attempts to restore Catholicism—becomes very unpopular Parliament asks Mary (James’s daughter) and William of Orange (ruler of the Netherlands) to come to England and rule
Fall 1688: William & army land in England, James flees to France Not bloodless…minor battles
1689: upon hearing of the fall of James II, New England residents removed Andros from power, sent him to England, and formed new assemblies William & Mary reissued charters to colonies English Bill of Rights reduced power of the monarch, gave more power to Parliament—shift to representative government