Category Archives: Origins

1841 or 1848: When Did Responsible Government Begin?

Posted on 2017/01/03 by J.W.J. Bowden

The latest issue of The Dorchester Review contains my first little foray into this question of when Responsible Government began;  I hope to expand this initial contribution into a larger project. For now, you can read my initial findings here. The idea came … Continue reading →

Posted in Dorchester Review, History of British North America, Individual vs Collective Ministerial Responsibility, Origins, Responsible Government | 4 Comments

Alexander Hamilton Recommended Responsible Government in 1788

Posted on 2012/11/10 by J.W.J. Bowden

Alexander Hamilton’s “executive packet” of The Federalist Papers (67-77) provides learned historical and comparative analyses of the Constitution of 1787 relative to the British system and to the systems of government in the several American states. Hamilton’s strong grasp of … Continue reading →

Posted in Confidence Convention, History of British North America, Origins, Responsible Government | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

1774: Thomas Jefferson, The Rights of British Americans, and the Origins of the Commonwealth Realms

Posted on 2011/09/10 by J.W.J. Bowden

A Summary View of the Rights of British America In “George III and the Loss of the American Colonies,” I cited one of Thomas Jefferson’s earlier works from 1774, A Summary View of the Rights of British America, as evidence … Continue reading →

Posted in History of British North America, Origins, Whigs v Tories | 18 Comments

The “Republic of Canada, Est. 1837”: Distortion of History and of Responsible Government

Posted on 2011/08/11 by J.W.J. Bowden

The Institute for Liberal Studies sells t-shirts emblazened with the flag of the short-lived Republic of Canada and the text “Republic of Canada est. 1837”, accompanied by the following description: The short-lived Republic of Canada is a little-known chapter in … Continue reading →

Posted in History of British North America, Monarchism v Republicanism, Origins | 12 Comments

George III, Parliament, and the Loss of the American Colonies

Posted on 2011/08/09 by J.W.J. Bowden

I generally agree with and like the official website of the British monarchy, but like all official histories, it focuses too heavily on information and arguments favourable to the reputation of its source at the expense of other interpretations and … Continue reading →

Posted in History of British North America, Origins, Whigs v Tories | 9 Comments