A good look at the philosophy of the Quakers who colonized William Penn's religious refuge in the colony of Pennsylvania. Read about Penn's liberal views about government, religious freedom, and relations with Native Americans.

The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first elected legislature in the New World. Find out why the governmental conditions in England led to this representative government and how it was so different from the governing of colonies in...

At this site from the University of Groningen you can read Edward Randolph's address to Parliament concerning the rebellious attitude of the colony of Massachusetts as designated as "articles of misdemeanors." Read each of the...

Although some believe that the history of the American Revolution began long before the first shots were fired in 1775, England and America did not begin an overt parting of the ways until 1763, more than a century and a half after the...

Rome strengthens her position on the Italian peninsula, defeating her neighbors, and establishing a method of incorporating and governing colonies which she will use in her future expansion.

Read the online historical text written in 1620 establishing religious freedom, means of governing, and rule by law in the Plymouth colony and New England.

Learn all about the Albany Plan of Union from this article from the U.S. Department of State. Find out why it was proposed, what the plan would provide for, and the results.

One of Rome's strengths was the way it governed the peoples it conquered. Find out the difference between the Romans, the Latins, and the Italians in terms of rights of citizenship.

After the War of Independence, Americans were unable to agree on the form of their federal government. This unit explores how those conflicts played out as the new Republic defined its identity in relation to other nations.

Abridged biography of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania responsible for establishing the notion of freedom of conscience in America.

Here's a site with lots of information written by middle school students. Click on English Colonial Life, then Development of Self-Government for more information on government of the colonies.

After studying the American Revolutionary War, learners learn about the founding of the United States of America. Pretending to be the founding fathers, students will divide into small groups to create and design their own nation and...

Features a travel guide and country profile of the Southeast Asian nation of Timor-Leste including a broad overview and numerous links to comprehensive information on the islands' culture, history, geography, economy, environment,...

In this teacher lesson, students will review the series of tax acts that were enacted by the British government and disputed by the 13 colonies of America before the American Revolution. They will discuss the government- provided...

Overview of the early court system in Colonial Virginia and the challenges colonists faced interpreting British law for local purposes.

A brief discussion of the colonial period in the United States. Includes information on New England, the middle colonies, and the southern colonies. Also, find out about the early government, and the French and Indian War.

The Declaration of Independence, made by the second American Continental Congress and adopted July 4, 1776, announced the separation of the original thirteen North American British colonies from Great Britain making them into the United...

Aimed at younger students learning about government, this section of the larger 'Congress for Kids' website focuses on Democracy. Links to related topics include democracy vs autocracy, 13 Colonies, Declaration of Independence, and...

The early settlers to the New World began to map strategy for their own system of government. This site details that strategy and what kinds of events spawned the idea of representative government.

This article contains the history, meaning, and words to the Preamble to the Constitution which encompassed the reasons why the thirteen original colonies separated from Great Britain to become an independent nation.

Scroll to Massachusetts and link to the colonial documents establishing the colonies' earliest forms of government and laying the foundation for self-governing and eventual independence from England. Beginning with The Charter of England...

The First Indochina War began as a rebellion by Vit Minh forces against the French colonial government. This collection mainly focuses on the end of the conflict in 1954.

Read about the early history of Nigeria and the kingdoms that existed there. However, the majority of the article focuses on the problems Nigeria has faced since independence in establishing a democratic government. Information is from...

The Quebec Act enabled the government to run more effectively to satisfy the goals of French Canadians. This act helped to restore the former borders of the Canadian colony as well as English criminal law and reinstated French civil law....