Proprietary Colonies: Definition

Proprietary Colonies

Before 1660, England governed its New England Colonies and Middle Colonies haphazardly. Local oligarchs of Puritan officials or tobacco planters ran their societies as they wished, taking advantage of laxness and the English Civil War. This practice changed under the rule of King Charles II, who appointed proprietor charters to these colonies to oversee their governance and profitability. What is a proprietary colony? Which colonies were proprietary colonies? Why were their proprietary colonies?

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Proprietary Colonies in America

When Charles II (1660-1685) ascended the throne of England, he quickly established new settlements in America. In 1663, Charles paid off monetary debt to eight loyal noblemen with the gift of the colony of Carolina, a region claimed by Spain and already occupied by thousands of indigenous Americans. He bestowed an equally large land grant to his brother James, Duke of York, which consisted of the colonial territories of New Jersey and the recently conquered territory of New Netherlands- now renamed New York. James quickly gave the proprietorship of New Jersey to two of the Carolina Proprietors. Charles also gave proprietorship to Lord Baltimore of the colony of Maryland, and to pay off more debts; he granted a proprietary charter to William Penn (Charles was in debt to his father) of the province of Pennsylvania.

Did you know?

Pennsylvania at the time included the colonial territory of Delaware, which was called the “three lower counties.”

Proprietary Colony: A form of English colonial governance primarily used in the colonies of North America, in which a commercial charter was granted to an individual or company. These proprietors would then select governors and officials to run the colony or, in some cases, run the colony themselves

Of the thirteen English colonies, the following were proprietary colonies:

English Proprietary Colonies in America
Colonial Territory (Year Chartered)	Proprietor(s)
Carolina (North and South) (1663)	Sir George Carteret, William Berkeley, Sir John Colleton, Lord Craven, Duke of Albemarle, Earl of Clarendon
New York (1664)	James, Duke of York
New Jersey (1664)	Originally James, Duke of York. James bestowed the charter to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret.
Pennsylvania (1681)	William Penn
New Hampshire (1680)	Robert Mason
Maryland (1632)	Lord Baltimore

Proprietary Colonies A Map of the British American Colonies as of 1775 StudySmarter Fig. 1 - The British American Colonies as of 1775 and their population density

Proprietary Colony vs. Royal Colony

Proprietary Colonies were not the only form of a charter granted by the monarch of England. Royal charters were also used to divide and define the control of a territory or region in the Americas. Though similar, there are crucial differences in how the colony would be governed.

Under a Proprietary Charter, the monarchy relinquishes control and governance of the territory to an individual or company. That individual then has the autonomy and authority to appoint their governors and run the colony as they see fit. This is because the actual charter and land were a means of paying off debts to those granted a proprietorship.

Under a Royal Charter, the monarchy chose the colonial governor directly. That individual was under the authority of the Crown and responsible to the Crown for the profitability and governance of the colony. The monarchy had the power to remove the governor and replace them.

Proprietary Colony Examples

The Province of Pennsylvania is an excellent example of how a proprietary colony was governed and how the proprietor could significantly influence the colony.

In 1681, Charles II bestowed Pennsylvania to William Penn as a payment for a debt owed to Penn’s father. Though the younger Penn was born to wealth and groomed to join the English court, he joined the Quakers, a religious sect that rejected extravagance. Penn created the colony of Pennsylvania for his fellow Quakers persecuted in England for their pacifism and refusal to pay the Church of England taxes.

Proprietary Colonies William Penn StudySmarter Fig. 2 - William Penn

Penn created a government in Pennsylvania that implemented the Quakers’ beliefs in politics. It protected religious freedom by denying a legally established church and increased political equality by giving all property-owning men the right to vote and hold political office. Thousands of Quakers immigrated to Pennsylvania, followed by Germans and the Dutch seeking religious toleration. Ethnic diversity, pacifism, and religious freedom made Pennsylvania the most open and democratic of the proprietary colonies.

Proprietary Colonies: Significance

First and foremost, the most significant effect of proprietary colonies was that their charters quickly delegated control of new territories in North America. This process also allowed the English crown to delegate control over the territories. Within twenty years (1663-1681, excluding the proprietorship of Maryland), England had laid claim to the entire eastern coast of North America not already claimed by Spain or France.

Proprietary Colonies A historical map of the American Colonies from the 1700s StudySmarter Fig. 3 - A map from the late 1700s of the British American Colonies, including all of the proprietary colonies held by Britain.

The long-term impact of proprietary colonies on the Americas is directly connected to the relinquishing of proprietary charters. By the 1740s, all proprietary colonies but Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania had their charters revoked and established as Royal Colonies. The direct control the English Crown now had on the colonies through the ability to control the colonies' governors, ministry, and officials allowed for the legal argument that Parliament would use as justification for taxation and policy control in the 1760s and 1770s, which led to the outbreak of the American Revolution.

Proprietary Colonies - Key takeaways

A proprietary colony is a form of English colonial governance primarily used in the colonies of North America, in which a commercial charter was granted to an individual or company. These proprietors would then select governors and officials to run the colony or, in some cases, run it themselves.
Proprietary Colonies were not the only form of a charter granted by the monarch of England. Royal charters were also used to divide and define the control of a territory or region in the Americas.
The most significant effect of proprietary colonies was that their charters quickly delegated control of new territories in North America.
The long-term impact of proprietary colonies on the Americas is directly connected to the direct control the English Crown now had on the colonies.
The English Crown had the ability to control the colonies' governors, ministry, and officials allowed for the legal argument that Parliament would use as justification for taxation and policy control in the 1760s and 1770s, which led to the outbreak of the American Revolution.

Frequently Asked Questions about Proprietary Colonies

what is a proprietary colony?

A form of English colonial governance, primarily used in the colonies of North America, in which a commercial charter was granted to an individual or company. These proprietors would then select governors and officials to run the colony or, in some cases, run the colony themselves

Was Pennsylvania a charter royal or proprietary colony?

Pennsylvania was a Proprietary colony under the proprietorship of William Penn, who gained the charter from Charles II who was in debt to William Penn's father.

Which colonies were royal and proprietary?

The following colonies were proprietary: Maryland, North and South Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire

Why were there proprietary colonies?

In 1663, Charles paid off monetary debt to eight loyal noblemen with the gift of the colony of Carolina, an area long claimed by Spain and populated by thousands of indigenous Americans. He bestowed an equally large land grant to his brother James, Duke of York, who received New Jersey and the recently conquered territory of New Netherlands- now renamed New York. James quickly gave proprietorship of New Jersey to two of the Carolina Proprietors. Charles also gave proprietorship to Lord Baltimore of the colony of Maryland, and to pay off more debts, he granted a proprietary charter to William Penn (Charles was in debt to his father) of the province of Pennsylvania.

Was Virginia a royal or proprietary colony?

Virginia was a royal colony with a Royal Charter originally for the Virginia Company and then under the appointed Governorship of William Berkeley in 1624.

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Proprietary Colonies

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