furnishing a valid title. All persons, therefore, who settled on this land, so claimed, became subjects of the English Government, and a part of the British Empire.

The king of England, by instruments of writing called charters, granted certain rights and privileges to the several American Colonies, allowing them to form legislatures of their own, and to pass all local laws necessary for their own preservation and convenience, provided they were not in opposition to the general laws of the British Empire, which were to be considered as supreme.

The king also appointed governors for some of the colonies, as his representatives to sign the laws passed by the colonial legislatures, and thus give them validity; and also to exercise the executive authority in his name.

The colonies were therefore not only subject to the laws passed by their own colonial legislatures, but also were bound to obey the acts of parliament, which were expressly applied to them.

Each colony, though a part of the same empire, was independent of the other. There never was any political connexion between them except such as resulted from their common origin, common sufferings and common sympathies.

Why did the early settlers of the American colonies become subjects of England?

What rights did the king grant by charters?

By whom were the governors of the colonies appointed?

To what two kinds of laws were the colonies subject?

What was the relation of the colonists to each other?

ORIGIN OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.

In times of common danger, the colonies often chose delegates to meet in convention, and consult for the common welfare. The result of their deliberations was expressed in resolutions and recommendations. For, as no legislative power was granted to them, they could enact no law. Such a convention possessed no nationality, nor no sovereignty. And yet, so great was the confidence of the people in the wisdom and patriotism of those men, thus assembled in convention, that their recommendations were generally immediately adopted by the legislatures of the several colonies.

In 1765, a convention of the colonies was called, by a resolution of the assembly of Massachusetts, to consult upon the difficulties in which they were involved, by the encroachments of the British Government upon their constitutional rights and chartered privileges.

Delegates were chosen by nine of the colonies, who met in the city of New York, in October of the same year, and set forth their grievances in a memorial, petitions, &c., which were signed by the delegates from six of the colonies; the other delegates did not sign, not having been instructed.

In times of danger what did the colonies do?
Why could these conventions pass no laws?
What did the legislatures of the colonies do?
When was a convention of colonies called?
How many colonies chose delegates?

Those colonies which had not sent delegates, afterwards adopted the same sentiments by resolutions, warmly approving of the proceedings of this first Continental Congress.

This was merely a deliberative congress of separate colonies; no one of which, nor any number of which, had any power to bind any other, or each other, or to enforce obedience to any one of their own

enactments.

The sovereign power still remained in the king, and each of the colonies separately,

The dispute between the colonies and the mother country becoming warmer and warmer, a second Continental Congress was resolved upon by the several colonies. Accordingly, on the 5th of September, 1774, delegates from eleven of the colonies met at Philadelphia.

They met, as did the first congress, to deliberate and recommend. And so great was the common danger, and so strong the confidence of the people in this congress, that their recommendations were obeyed as promptly as if they had been laws with penalties for their disobedience annexed.

The business for which they had assembled having been transacted, this congress adjourned in October,

What power had this first continental congress?
Where did the sovereign power still remain?
When and where did the second congress meet?

How many colonies sent delegates?
For what did this congress meet?

What is said of the confidence of the people?

having resolved to meet again on the 10th of May, 1775, if the situation of the colonies should seem to require it.

The long train of abuses practised upon the American colonies by the British government, had now reached a point beyond which "forbearance ceased to be a virtue;" and the people having tried unsuccessfully all other modes of appeal, now appealed to arms. And on the 19th of April were fought the battles of Lexington and Concord.

The situation of the country being more critical than ever, congress re-assembled at Philadelphia on the 10th of May. All of the thirteen colonies sent delegates to represent them in this congress. The whole number of delegates was sixty-four.

The delegates from each colony were clothed with more power than before, having been authorized by the colonies which they represented, to transact all business necessary for the common good of the country.

One of the first important acts of this congress was the electing by unanimous ballot, of George Washington Commander-in-chief of all the forces, on the 15th of June, 1775.

Two days afterwards the battle of Bunker Hill

On what conditions did this congress adjourn to meet again?
What was the last appeal the people made?

How many colonies sent delegates to this congress?

What power had the delegates ?

Who was elected commander-in-chief?

was fought, which put an end forever to all hopes of reconciliation with Great Britain.

A committee of five were appointed by congress as early as the 11th of June, to prepare a Declaration of Independence. The committee consisted of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and R. R. Livingston. It was proposed that each member should draft a paper according to his own feelings and sentiments, and submit the same to the consideration of the committee, and that the draft which seemed to embody sentiments most congenial to the feelings of the whole, should be adopted by the committee.

Mr. Jefferson's was the first production read, and it so fully met the views of the other members of the committee, that it was at once adopted. So the Declaration thus agreed upon was presented to, and approved by congress, and publicly proclaimed on the 4th of July, 1776, declaring the united colonies to be free and independent States.

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

From the moment that the Declaration was published, the thirteen colonies ceased to form a part of the British Empire, and become thirteen sovereign

When was the declaration of independence made?

Who were the committee appointed to draft it?

Who penned the declaration of independence?

From that moment what did the colonies cease to be?
And what did they become?