Settling America – The Proprietary Colonies
The tapestry of early American settlement is woven with diverse threads, each representing a unique approach to colonization. Among these, the proprietary colonies stand out as a fascinating experiment in governance, a middle ground between the direct control of royal provinces and the relative autonomy of self-governing colonies. Of the thirteen colonies that would eventually unite to form the United States, a significant number, excluding Virginia and the New England settlements, began as proprietary colonies. This system, characterized by grants of land and governing authority to individuals or small groups, shaped the social, political, and economic landscapes of several key regions.
The concept of a proprietorship was relatively straightforward. The King, while retaining ultimate sovereignty, delegated considerable power to a proprietor, typically a nobleman or influential courtier who enjoyed the King’s favor. This proprietor, in essence, became the landlord and governor of the designated territory. The proprietor’s responsibilities were multifaceted, encompassing the appointment of governors, establishment of courts, collection of land taxes, and the enticement of settlers through various incentives.
Effectively, the proprietors managed their provinces as private ventures, subject to the stipulations outlined in their charters from the King and the persistent negotiations with colonial legislatures. This dynamic created a complex interplay of authority, often resulting in tension and negotiation between the proprietor’s interests, the crown’s directives, and the aspirations of the colonists. Several colonies arose under this proprietary system, each with its unique story of establishment, governance, and eventual transition.
One of the earliest and most notable examples of a proprietary colony is Maryland. In 1632, George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, a Roman Catholic nobleman holding a prominent position in the English court, secured a charter from King Charles I. This charter granted him a vast territory north of the Potomac River, up to the fortieth parallel of north latitude, accompanied by remarkably liberal terms. The charter stipulated that the inhabitants of Maryland were to possess all the rights and privileges of English subjects. It forbade the crown from levying taxes on persons or goods within the colony and granted the proprietor the authority to make laws with the consent of the freemen of the colony.
Sadly, George Calvert passed away before the charter received the King’s official seal. However, his son, Cecilius Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore, carried on his father’s vision. In 1634, he dispatched a colony to St. Marys, a settlement established on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. Lord Baltimore faced a multitude of challenges. His land grant overlapped with a claim held by William Claiborne, a Virginian fur trader already established on Kent Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Claiborne refused to yield his claim or acknowledge Lord Baltimore’s authority, leading to armed conflict before Claiborne was finally ousted.
Furthermore, a dispute arose over the interpretation of the charter. Lord Baltimore believed he had the sole right to propose laws, which the freemen could then accept or reject. The colonists, however, asserted their right to initiate legislation, a view that Lord Baltimore ultimately conceded to, demonstrating his political acumen. Religious tensions also marked Maryland’s early history. Lord Baltimore envisioned the colony as a haven for persecuted Roman Catholics in England, who faced discrimination from both the Puritan New Englanders and the Episcopalian Virginians. However, the policy of religious tolerance attracted a wave of Protestant immigrants from Virginia, New England, and England, soon outnumbering the Catholic population.
In 1649, in an effort to protect the Catholic minority, Lord Baltimore persuaded the assembly to enact the Maryland Toleration Act. This landmark legislation declared that no person professing belief in Jesus Christ should be "troubled, molested, or discountenanced" for their religion, provided they remained loyal to the proprietor and did not conspire against the government. While this act represented a significant step towards religious freedom, it’s worth noting that it did not extend to non-Christians. Despite these challenges, Maryland gradually achieved a period of peace and prosperity, laying the foundation for its future development as a significant proprietary colony.
Another substantial undertaking of the proprietary system was the establishment of Carolina. King Charles II, showing a strong interest in colonial affairs, granted a vast tract of land, situated between Virginia and Spanish Florida, to a group of eight noblemen in 1663. This immense territory stretched westward to the "South Sea" or Pacific Ocean. The charter bestowed upon these proprietors powers similar to those granted to Lord Baltimore in Maryland. However, the collective board of proprietors lacked the singular focus and commitment that Lord Baltimore had displayed.
A significant early misstep was the attempt to impose an elaborate constitution known as the "Grand Model," drafted by the renowned English philosopher John Locke. This constitution proved utterly impractical for the realities of a sparsely populated and struggling settlement. By 1670, two distinct communities had emerged: one on the Chowan River, populated by discontented Virginians, and another on the Ashley River, about 300 miles to the south. The latter settlement was relocated in 1680 to the site of present-day Charleston, South Carolina.
These two settlements gradually evolved into North and South Carolina. Although these names were in use as early as 1691, the colony was not formally divided and given separate governors until 1711. The history of the Carolinas is characterized by governmental inefficiency, persistent disputes between the people and their governors, the governors and the proprietors, and the proprietors and the King. North Carolina gained a reputation as a "sanctuary of runaways," where people acted as they pleased, disregarding both religious and civil authority. Spanish incursions from the south and rampant piracy along the coast further destabilized the region.
Ultimately, the South Carolina assembly, burdened by debts incurred during Spanish-Indian wars, sought to sell land to settlers on its own terms. When the proprietors vetoed this action, deeming it an infringement of their chartered rights, the assembly defied their authority and petitioned King George I to assume control as a royal province in 1719. This marked the only instance in colonial history of a proprietary government being overthrown by its own assembly. In 1729, the proprietors relinquished their rights and interests in both Carolinas to the crown for a comparatively small sum, marking the end of the proprietary experiment in the Carolinas and adding two more colonies to the roster of royal provinces. The establishment of the Carolinas as proprietary colonies demonstrated the challenges of distant governance and the inherent tensions between proprietary interests and colonial aspirations.
New York, initially established as the Dutch colony of New Netherland, was seized by the English in 1664. King Charles II granted the territory between the Connecticut and Delaware Rivers to his brother, the Duke of York, transforming it into a proprietary colony. While the Dutch had established fortified trading posts and offered land to attract settlers, the colony remained relatively small and underdeveloped. The Dutch West India Company, focused on the fur trade, neglected the colony’s defense and refused to grant the colonists any form of popular assembly.
The English conquest brought about a change in governance, although initially, the Duke of York continued to rule without an assembly. It was not until 1683 that he yielded to pressure from his own colony and neighboring colonies and granted an assembly. However, this grant was revoked when King James II ascended to the throne, and New York became a model of absolute government. After the Glorious Revolution in England, the assembly was restored in 1691, granting the colony self-government. Despite its strategic location and rich resources, New York grew slowly in its early years, but its growth accelerated significantly with the construction of the Erie Canal and the New York Central Railroad, solidifying its position as a major commercial hub.
Adjacent to New York, New Jersey also emerged as a proprietary colony. The Duke of York granted the territory between the Hudson and Delaware Rivers to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, who named it New Jersey in honor of Carteret’s former governorship of the island of Jersey. The proprietors offered generous concessions, including religious freedom and a popular assembly. However, the Jerseys experienced a turbulent history, with constant disputes between proprietors, governors, and legislatures. New Jersey was briefly united with New York under a royal governor before being separated again. These disputes continued until the American Revolution, highlighting the challenges of governing a diverse and independent-minded population under a proprietary system.
Perhaps the most successful and influential of the proprietary colonies was Pennsylvania, founded by William Penn. Penn, a Quaker and a favorite of the Duke of York and King Charles II, received a grant of land from the King in 1681 to settle a debt owed to his father, Admiral Penn. Penn envisioned Pennsylvania as a haven for religious freedom and a model of just governance. His charter, however, contained provisions that limited his authority, requiring the colony to maintain an agent in London, tolerate the Church of England, and allow the King to veto any act of the assembly.
Despite these limitations, Penn offered attractive terms to settlers, including religious freedom, a democratic assembly, and fair dealings with the Delaware Indians. These policies attracted a diverse population of immigrants, including Quakers, German Protestants, and Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. Pennsylvania quickly prospered, and its capital, Philadelphia, became the leading city in the American colonies. Penn’s commitment to religious freedom, justice, and peaceful relations with the Indians made Pennsylvania a beacon of enlightenment and humanity in the New World.
Finally, Georgia, established in 1732, represented a later iteration of the proprietary model. James Oglethorpe obtained a charter from King George II, granting a body of trustees the government of the territory between the Savannah and Altamaha Rivers. Oglethorpe aimed to create a refuge for debtors and the poor and to extend the English frontier southward towards Spanish Florida. However, Georgia struggled to prosper under the trustees’ governance. Slavery and rum were initially forbidden, but the colony’s economic development lagged. In 1752, the trustees surrendered the government to the King, and Georgia became a royal province.
In conclusion, the proprietary colonies represent a fascinating chapter in the history of American settlement. These colonies, governed by individuals or small groups under grants from the English crown, played a vital role in shaping the social, political, and economic landscape of early America. While each colony faced unique challenges and experienced varying degrees of success, they all contributed to the development of a diverse and dynamic society that would eventually declare its independence from British rule. The legacy of the proprietary system can still be seen today in the institutions, values, and traditions of the states that once formed these colonies.