The Royal Colonies
The names of areas governed as Royal Colonies at the start of the American Revolutionary War were:
- New Hampshire
- New York
- New Jersey
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Georgia
The Royal Colonies become States
The outbreak of the American Revolutionary War heralded the defeat of the British and the colonies developed their own constitutions and the Colonies Changed to States.
Royal, Proprietary and Royal Colonies
There were three types of colonies and systems of government in the British Colonies of North America - Royal Colonies, Charter Colonies and Proprietary Colonies. The Charter Colonies was generally self-governed and the Proprietary Colonies were lands granted by the English monarch as favors to Proprietors who who had full governing rights . Prior to the establishment of Royal, Charter and Proprietary colonies the British colonization of North America had been financed and settled under the jurisdiction of joint stock companies operating under charters granted by the crown.
Royal Colonies - Changes in Status
The three types of colonies and systems of government could change in status according to the political and economic changes in Great Britain. The government of a self-governing Charter colony or privately owned Proprietary Colony could therefore change to a Royal Colony when power would then revert to the King. The colonies of New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, and South Carolina began as proprietary colonies, but later became royal colonies. By 1763 most colonies surrendered their charters to the Crown and became Royal Colonies. Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania remained proprietary colonies under a charter. Connecticut and Rhode Island managed to retain their charters and Massachusetts was governed as a royal province while operating under a charter.
Government of the Royal Colonies
The government of the Royal Colonies was based on the following principles:
- Royal Colonies: These colonies were ruled by the British monarchs
- Royal Colonies: These British King had control over all unsold public lands and his Governor had the power to allocate the lands
- Royal Colonies: The King appointed a governor and a council to assist him with the government of the Colony
- Royal Colonies: The colonies elected their own legislature (parliament)
- Royal Colonies: The governor controlled taxes and expenditure but could not authorize the payment of his own salary. The colonial legislatures had the authority to approve or delay paying a salary to the royal governor
Royal Colonies - New Hampshire
King James II ascended the throne in 1685 and believed that the New England colonies, including New Hampshire, were far too independent. The King wanted to take greater control and in 1686 sent Sir Edmund Andros to establish one new government called the "Dominion of New England." In order to achieve this aim Andros had to cancell the existing charters. The charter of New Hampshire was revoked and it became a Royal Colony.
Royal Colonies - Virginia
Virginia started as a Charter Colony. Its borders were initially defined in the first Charter of Virginia issued by King James I as grants of land to private investors. King James I granted a proprietary charter to the two competing companies that were supported by investors. The companies were the Plymouth Company and the London Company. In 1624 King James made Virginia a Royal Colony.