Colonial government in the Thirteen Colonies facts for kids
The governments of the Thirteen Colonies in British America grew and changed during the 1600s and 1700s. They were shaped by the British way of governing. After these colonies became the United States, their experiences under British rule helped create the new state constitutions and, later, the United States Constitution.
Each colony had a government with a governor as the leader, like a president or prime minister. The law-making part of the government, called the legislature, had two groups: a governor's council and an assembly. In royal colonies, the British government chose the governor and council. In proprietary colonies, private owners chose them. In charter colonies, these officials were elected. In every colony, people who owned property could vote for the assembly members.
The colonies mostly managed their own local issues. However, the British government could stop colonial laws they didn't like. Britain also handled foreign affairs, trade rules, and wars with other countries. Wars with Native Americans were usually handled by the colonial governments themselves. The American Revolution happened because of a big disagreement. Britain's Parliament believed it could make any laws for the American colonies. But the Americans thought their own colonial legislatures were just as important as Parliament and should make their own laws.
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How Colonial Governments Worked
By the time the American Revolution began, the thirteen colonies had developed their own political systems. Each had a governor who led the executive branch (like a president). They also had a two-part legislature made up of a council and an assembly. This system was quite similar to the British government. The governor was like the British king or queen, the council was like the House of Lords, and the assembly was like the House of Commons.
The King's Role in the Colonies
All thirteen colonies were started with permission from the British king. So, the king's authority was very important. How a colony related to the king depended on its type: a charter colony, a proprietary colony, or a royal colony. These types were set out in each colony's founding document. Royal colonies belonged directly to the king. Proprietary and charter colonies were given by the king to private groups or individuals.
A joint-stock company, like the Virginia Company, was given control over a charter colony. Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island started as charter colonies. The charter colonies in New England were almost independent. They acted like republics, where property owners elected their governor and lawmakers. Proprietary colonies were owned and run by individuals. To get people to settle there, these owners agreed to share power with the property owners. Maryland, South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania began as proprietary colonies.
In 1624, Virginia became the first royal colony when the Virginia Company's charter was taken away. Over time, more colonies became royal colonies. By the start of the American Revolution, most of the thirteen colonies were royal colonies. Only Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware remained proprietary. Rhode Island and Connecticut continued as charter colonies.
Historians say that the king's management of the colonies was not very good. This was because it wasn't always clear who was in charge. Before 1768, the Privy Council and the Secretary of State for the Southern Department handled colonial affairs. The Secretary relied on the Board of Trade for information and to send instructions to colonial officials. After 1768, a new official, the Secretary of State for Colonial Affairs, was in charge. But this new office often had weak leaders and faced jealousy from other government officials.
Parliament's Power Over Colonies
Parliament's power over the colonies was also unclear and caused arguments in the 1700s. As the English government changed, Parliament became more involved in ruling the colonies by the mid-1700s. Parliament passed laws about trade (like the Navigation Acts), who could be a citizen, and how much paper money colonies could print.
The British government argued that Parliament had unlimited power to make laws for the colonies. This was clearly stated in the Declaratory Act of 1766. The British also said that even though colonists didn't have actual representatives in Parliament, they were still "virtually represented". The American view, influenced by Whig political ideas, was that Parliament's power over the colonies was limited. At first, colonies accepted Parliament's right to make laws for the whole British Empire, like on trade. But they argued that Parliament taxing them was wrong. This was because they believed in taxation by consent, meaning only their own elected representatives could agree to taxes.
Americans also argued that the colonies were outside Parliament's direct control. They believed they owed loyalty only to the king, not to Parliament. In short, Americans thought their colonial legislatures were equal to Parliament, not below it. These different ideas about the British government became the main reason for the American Revolution.
How Colonial Governments Were Structured
The Governor's Role
In royal colonies, the king appointed governors. These governors represented the king's interests. Before 1689, governors were the most powerful political figures in the colonies. They had royal authority given through their official papers and instructions. Their powers included the right to call, suspend, or close the elected assembly. Governors could also stop any bill (proposed law) from becoming law.
Over time, the assembly slowly limited the governor's power. They did this by taking control over money bills, which included the governor's own salary. This meant an uncooperative assembly could refuse to pay the governor. Governors often found themselves in a difficult spot. Their orders from London told them to protect the king's power from the assembly. At the same time, they were told to get more money from the colonies for Britain's wars against France. In exchange for military funding, the assemblies often demanded more power.
To get support for his plans, the governor could give out special favors. He could reward supporters by appointing them to jobs like attorney general or local sheriff. These jobs were desired for their prestige and income. He could also give supporters land grants. Because of this, colonial politics often had two sides: those who supported the governor and those who opposed him.
The Governor's Council
The governor had an advisory council, which was part of the executive branch. This council usually had ten to thirty members. In royal colonies, the king appointed a mix of paid government officials and important members of colonial society. Council members often represented the interests of business owners, lenders, and property owners. Lawyers were important in all colonies. Merchants were key in the northern colonies, and plantation owners were more involved in the southern ones. Members served "at the king's pleasure," meaning they could be removed at any time. If a governor was absent or between terms, the council would act as the government.
The governor's council also served as the upper house of the colonial legislature. In most colonies, the council could propose new laws, pass resolutions, and review petitions. Sometimes, it mainly reviewed and improved laws. It would sometimes argue with the assembly over changes to money bills or other laws.
Besides being an executive and legislative body, the council also had judicial power. It was the highest court of appeal within the colony. The council's many roles led to some criticism. For example, Richard Henry Lee said that Virginia's colonial government lacked the balance and separation of powers found in the British system. This was because the council was not independent enough from the king.
The Assembly's Role
The lower house of a colonial legislature was a representative assembly. These assemblies had different names. Virginia had a House of Burgesses, Massachusetts had a House of Deputies, and South Carolina had a Commons House of Assembly. Even with different names, the assemblies shared common features. Members were elected every year by property-owning citizens in towns or counties. They usually met for one short session, but the council or governor could call special sessions.
Like in Britain, the right to vote was limited to men who owned enough "landed property to ensure they were independent and cared about their communities." Because land was more available, more people could vote in the colonies. One estimate says about 60 percent of adult white men could vote in the colonies. In England and Wales, only 17–20 percent of adult men could vote. Six colonies allowed other ways to vote, like owning personal property or paying taxes. This extended voting rights to city property owners and even successful farmers who rented land. Groups not allowed to vote included laborers, tenant farmers, unskilled workers, and indentured servants. These groups were thought to lack a "stake in society" and might be easily influenced.
Decisions about taxes and budgets started in the assembly. Part of the budget went to paying for and equipping the colonial militia. As the American Revolution got closer, this topic caused many arguments between the colonial assemblies and their governors.
The ongoing struggles between governors and assemblies are sometimes seen as early signs of a growing desire for democracy. However, these assemblies usually represented the wealthy classes. They were protecting the colony from unfair actions by the governor. Legally, the governor's power was very strong. To resist this power, assemblies used arguments based on natural rights and the common good. This helped spread the idea that governments get their power from the consent of the governed.
Attempts to Unite the Colonies
Before the American Revolution, there were attempts to create a single government for the thirteen colonies, but they didn't succeed. Several plans for a union were suggested at the Albany Congress in 1754. One famous plan, proposed by Benjamin Franklin, was called the Albany Plan.
The End of Colonial Rule
During the American Revolution, the colonial governments stopped working properly. Royal governors suspended or closed the assemblies. By 1773, groups called committees of correspondence were governing towns and counties. Almost all colonies had also set up provincial congresses. These were legislative groups that acted outside of the king's authority. These were temporary solutions, and people knew they weren't proper legislatures.
By May 1775, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress felt a permanent government was needed. Following advice from the Second Continental Congress, Massachusetts began operating under its Charter of 1691 again, but without a governor. The governor's council acted as the executive branch. In late 1775, the Continental Congress told New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Virginia to form new governments. New Hampshire adopted a republican constitution on January 5, 1776. South Carolina's was adopted on March 26, and Virginia's on June 29.
In May 1776, the Continental Congress called for new governments to be created "where no government sufficient to the exigencies of their affairs have been hitherto established." They also said that "every kind of authority under the ... Crown should be totally suppressed." The Declaration of Independence in July further encouraged the states to form new governments. Most states adopted new constitutions by the end of 1776. Because of the war, Georgia and New York couldn't finish their constitutions until 1777.
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