In 1763, King George III of Great Britain created his brother, Edward Augustus (Duke of York and Albany), Proprieter of North American Crown Lands. This territory included the entire Great Lakes basin and the lands reserved by the Proclamation of 1763 for the native Indians. With his title came the power to collect revenue, regulate land use and grant civil charters within those lands. The king arranged for his brother to stay at the Annapolis, Maryland estate of Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore. Edward Augustus arrived there on June 7, 1764.
In the aftermath of civil unrest in the colonies over the 1765 Stamp Act, Edward Augustus began a series of correspondences with various provincial governors and other leading citizens up and down the Atlantic seaboard. These letters, focused on the issues of taxation, commerce and western settlement, did much to calm the political storm. He also suggested to his brother the king that both East and West Floerida be ceded to Spain to pay off the debt of the Seven Years War. In 1767, Spain offered a favorable return for acquiring the provinces.
In the fall of 1767 Edward Augustus traveled to England to speak directly with the king about the colonists' concerns. On September 17, 1767 (it was on this day in the OTL that Edward Augustus died), King George III authorized limited "home rule" to the colonies along the Atlantic seaboard. Four weeks later, Parliament created an umbrella government for colonies who chose to participate. The Continental Congerss as it was to be called, would have the power to pass laws regulating taxation and commerce within and between participating provinces. Edward Augustus left London on November 3, one day after the birth of his nephew and namesake, Edward Augustus (future Duke of Kent and Strathern and father of Queen Victoria).
The 1st Continental Congress held its inaqural session July 19-September 15, 1768 in the Pennsylvania State House Building at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Provinces sending delegates were: Nova Acotia, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Providence, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
On August 8, 1773 the twin Ontario and Quebec Acts were adopted by Parliament. The former established the province of Ontario. The latter replaced the oath of allegiance used in Quebec so that it no longer made reference to the Protestant faith, guarenteed the free practice of the Catholic faith, and upheld the continued use of French civil law for private matters while maintaining the use of English common law for public administrative and judicial matters.
among the first acts of the new Ontario legislature when it met in March, 1774 was the adoption of a resolution to align itself with "the Yankees." This was the first time that term was used in an official way to describe the British colonies along North America's Atlantic coast. Delegates from the province were seated at the 4th Continental Congress later that year.
During the ensuing four years, settlement was reached between Edward Augustus and the colonies with land claims within the Crown lands. In 1781, the first new provinces were established in those lands. Charters were granted to: Allegheny, Kentucky and Tennessee. At the prince's insistance, slavery was prohibited within these new colonies. Each sent delegates to the 8th Continental Congress the following year.
Also in 1781, the legislature of Massachusetts Bay voted to drop "Bay" from the provincial name and following a summer of rioting in several communities, to relinquish its control of Maine. Maine subsequently established its own provincial legislature and sent delegates to the Continental Congress. Then in 1784, Rhode Island and Providence's legislature adopted a new provincial name, Narragansett. None of these acts were approved by King George or Parliament.
In 1785, the 9th Continental Congress formerly requested King George and Parliament to grant home rule to the provinces. During the debate a question was raised concerning what this union of home ruled provinces should be called. Once the decision to seek home rule was made, a special committee was formed to discuss and submit up to four names for the congress to consider. Four names were submitted: Brittica, Colombia, Transylmarica and Yankeelia.
I invite you to put yourselves in the position of delegate to the 9th Continental Congress. Which name would you vote for? Why?
I'm also interested in your thoughts about this, my first AH story. Thanks.
BTW, General George Washington is now retired and living at Mt. Vernon with Martha. They are very happy together. I may have GW appointed to the Supreme Court when the kingdom comes.
In the aftermath of civil unrest in the colonies over the 1765 Stamp Act, Edward Augustus began a series of correspondences with various provincial governors and other leading citizens up and down the Atlantic seaboard. These letters, focused on the issues of taxation, commerce and western settlement, did much to calm the political storm. He also suggested to his brother the king that both East and West Floerida be ceded to Spain to pay off the debt of the Seven Years War. In 1767, Spain offered a favorable return for acquiring the provinces.
In the fall of 1767 Edward Augustus traveled to England to speak directly with the king about the colonists' concerns. On September 17, 1767 (it was on this day in the OTL that Edward Augustus died), King George III authorized limited "home rule" to the colonies along the Atlantic seaboard. Four weeks later, Parliament created an umbrella government for colonies who chose to participate. The Continental Congerss as it was to be called, would have the power to pass laws regulating taxation and commerce within and between participating provinces. Edward Augustus left London on November 3, one day after the birth of his nephew and namesake, Edward Augustus (future Duke of Kent and Strathern and father of Queen Victoria).
The 1st Continental Congress held its inaqural session July 19-September 15, 1768 in the Pennsylvania State House Building at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Provinces sending delegates were: Nova Acotia, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Providence, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
On August 8, 1773 the twin Ontario and Quebec Acts were adopted by Parliament. The former established the province of Ontario. The latter replaced the oath of allegiance used in Quebec so that it no longer made reference to the Protestant faith, guarenteed the free practice of the Catholic faith, and upheld the continued use of French civil law for private matters while maintaining the use of English common law for public administrative and judicial matters.
among the first acts of the new Ontario legislature when it met in March, 1774 was the adoption of a resolution to align itself with "the Yankees." This was the first time that term was used in an official way to describe the British colonies along North America's Atlantic coast. Delegates from the province were seated at the 4th Continental Congress later that year.
During the ensuing four years, settlement was reached between Edward Augustus and the colonies with land claims within the Crown lands. In 1781, the first new provinces were established in those lands. Charters were granted to: Allegheny, Kentucky and Tennessee. At the prince's insistance, slavery was prohibited within these new colonies. Each sent delegates to the 8th Continental Congress the following year.
Also in 1781, the legislature of Massachusetts Bay voted to drop "Bay" from the provincial name and following a summer of rioting in several communities, to relinquish its control of Maine. Maine subsequently established its own provincial legislature and sent delegates to the Continental Congress. Then in 1784, Rhode Island and Providence's legislature adopted a new provincial name, Narragansett. None of these acts were approved by King George or Parliament.
In 1785, the 9th Continental Congress formerly requested King George and Parliament to grant home rule to the provinces. During the debate a question was raised concerning what this union of home ruled provinces should be called. Once the decision to seek home rule was made, a special committee was formed to discuss and submit up to four names for the congress to consider. Four names were submitted: Brittica, Colombia, Transylmarica and Yankeelia.
I invite you to put yourselves in the position of delegate to the 9th Continental Congress. Which name would you vote for? Why?
I'm also interested in your thoughts about this, my first AH story. Thanks.
BTW, General George Washington is now retired and living at Mt. Vernon with Martha. They are very happy together. I may have GW appointed to the Supreme Court when the kingdom comes.