Charter, Royal, and Proprietary Colonies
 All colonies developed local governments to make laws
for their colony.
 Each colony had an assembly of representatives who
made laws, aka a legislature.
 Some had 1 house – often called the Assembly.
 Some had 2 houses – the Assembly (lower house) and a
Council (much smaller upper house)
 Each colony had a governor.
 The difference lay in how each of the members of
those colonial governments were chosen.
Created by a charter from the King
 Governor – elected by the people of the colony
 Council/Upper house – elected by the people
 Assembly/Lower house – elected by the people
Governor
ELECTED
Legislature
Upper House
ELECTED
Lower House
ELECTED
Owned by a proprietor (owner)
 Governor – appointed (chosen without election) by
the Proprietor, often with the power of absolute veto
over laws made by the Assembly
 Council/Upper house – appointed by the proprietor
 Assembly/Lower house – elected by the people
Governor
APPOINTED
Legislature
Upper House
APPOINTED
Lower House
ELECTED
Under the direct control of the king (some were charter
colonies whose original charters were revoked by the
king like Virginia and Massachusetts)
 Governor – appointed (chosen without election) by
the King, with the power of absolute veto over laws
made by the Assembly
 Council/Upper house – appointed by the King or his
appointed governor
 Assembly/Lower house – elected by the people
Governor
APPOINTED
Legislature
Upper House
APPOINTED
Lower House
ELECTED