A few days ago we were discussing the proper nomenclature for the
colonies/states -- I'm not much of a stickler for these matters: e.g., I'm
happy to use "(W)VA" for those areas in Virginia that would later become
West Virginia.
But for those who are, I've got some quotes from documents that may be of
interest.
I'll begin with Virginia (and what the King was calling himself king of)
since of course Virginia included all the territory to the Pacific for a
time and later to the Mississippi, until the formation of Tennessee,
Kentucky, and the Northwest Territory.
Anything I've added, other than dates, I've put in double brackets [[ ]]
since the website had some single-bracketed phrases.
1607-1609
http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/D/1601-1650/virginia/chart01.htm
The First Virginia Charter (April 10, 1606)
James, by the grace of God [King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland,
Defender of the Faith], etc. Whereas our loving and weldisposed subjects,
Sir Thomas Gates and Sir , , ,
. . . .
[[in re seal(s)]] And wee doe alsoe ordaine, establishe and agree for [us],
our heires and successors, that eache of the saide Colonies shall have a
Counsell which shall governe and order all matters and causes which shall
arise, growe, or happen to or within the same severall Colonies, according
to such lawes, ordinannces and instructions as shalbe in that behalfe, given
and signed with our hande or signe manuell and passe under the Privie Seale
of our realme of Englande; eache of which Counsells shall consist of
thirteene parsons and to be ordained, made and removed from time to time
according as shalbe directed and comprised in the same instructions; and
shall have a severall seale for all matters that shall passe or concerne the
same severall Counsells, eache of which seales shall have the Kinges armes
engraven on the one side there of and his pourtraiture on the other; and
that the seale for the Counsell of the saide Firste Colonie shall have
engraven rounde about on the one side theise wordes: Sigillum Regis Magne
Britanie, Francie [et] Hibernie; on the other side this inscripture rounde
about: Pro Consillio Prime Colonie Virginie. And the seale for the Counsell
of the saide Seconde Colonie shall alsoe have engraven rounde about the one
side thereof the foresaide wordes: Sigillum Regis Magne Britanie, Francie
[et] Hibernie; and on the other side: Pro Consilio Secunde Colonie Virginie.
[[***Notice the "Magne Britanie," above, i.e., Great Britain.pph]]
1609: Second Charter:
shall have perpetual succession and one common seale to serve for the saide
bodie or communaltie; and that they and their successors shalbe knowne,
called and incorporated by the name of The Tresorer and Companie of
Adventurers and Planters of the Citty of London for the Firste Collonie in
Virginia.
1612: Third Charter:
. . . . we have by our lettres patent
bearing date at Westminster the three and twentieth daie of May in the
seaventh yeare of our raigne of England, Frannce and Ireland, and the twoe
and fortieth of Scotland, given and grannted unto them, that they and all
suche and soe manie of our loving subjects as shold from time to time for
ever after be joyned with them as planters or adventurers in the said
plantacion, and their successors for ever, shold be one body politique
incorporated by the name of The Treasorer and Planters of the Cittie of
London for the First Colonie in Virginia;
In witnes whereof [we have caused these our letters to be made patents.]
Wittnes our selfe att Westminster, the twelveth daie of March [1612] [in the
ninth year of our reign of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the
five and fortieth.]
1707-1800
Colony of _____ of the Kingdom of Great Britain
From Wikipedia:
The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great
Britain, was a state in Western Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800. It
was created by the merger of the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of
England, under the Acts of Union 1707, to create a single kingdom
encompassing the whole of the island of Great Britain.
1774-4 July 1776
From Wikipedia:
The First Continental Congress was a body of representatives appointed by
the legislatures of twelve North American colonies of the Kingdom of Great
Britain in 1774. It met briefly then set up its successor, the Second
Continental Congress, which organized the Americans into war against
Britain. The two bodies together comprise the Continental Congress. The
First Continental Congress was held in Philadelphia in 1774, with 55 members
representing all American colonies except Georgia.
[[1st CC Passed the Articles of Association:]]
The Articles of Association - October 20, 1774
We, his majesty's most loyal subjects, the delegates of the several colonies
of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay, Rhode-Island, Connecticut, New-York,
New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three lower counties of Newcastle, Kent and
Sussex on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, and South-Carolina,
deputed to represent them in a continental Congress, held in the city of
Philadelphia, on the 5th day of September, 1774, avowing our allegiance to
his majesty,
===
[[When does a colony become a state?? Surely not before it has passed a
declaration of independence -- either singly -- or jointly ("4th of July"),
E.g.,]]
The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence is a resolution proclaimed
at Charlotte, North Carolina, by the Committee of citizens of Mecklenburg
County on May 20, 1775. Proclamations and resolutions, such as the Fincastle
Resolutions in the Colony of Virginia, by local groups throughout the
American Colonies during 1774 and 1775 were common. No original text exists
and no contemporary mention of it was made in North Carolina or in other
colonies. The 1819 copy was said to be created from memory. Historians have
yet to confirm the original document's existence.
May 20 was the day after news arrived of the battle of Lexington. The seal
and flag of North Carolina bear that date. The citizens of Mecklenburg did
adopt, on May 31, 1775, strong anti-British resolutions, declaring
suspension from office of all crown officials.
==================
Declaration of Independence adopted 4 July 1776
We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in
General Congress, assembled,
============
The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, commonly known as the
Articles of Confederation, was the first governing document, or
constitution, of the United States of America. The final draft was written
in the summer of 1777 and adopted by the Second Continental Congress on
November 15, 1777 in York, Pennsylvania after a year of debate. In practice
it served as the de facto system of government used by the Congress ("the
United States in Congress assembled") until it became de jure by final
ratification on March 1, 1781. At that point Congress became the Congress of
the Confederation. The Articles set the rules for operations of the "United
States" confederation.
Article I.
The Style of this confederacy shall be "The United States of America."
[[Of course, I suppose it was not till the Treaty of Versailles was signed
in
1783 that the British officially recognized that the thirteen colonies were
no longer colonies.]]
--
Pat
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