U.S. History STAAR ( State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) Practice Test

What was a common trait of proprietary colonies?

1. Ownership was shared among multiple investors

2. Governance was handled by the Crown

3. The land was funded by private ownership agreements

4. Colonies were completely independent from England

The correct answer is: The land was funded by private ownership agreements

Proprietary colonies were established under charters granted by the English Crown to individuals or groups known as proprietors. These proprietors had the authority to govern the land and sell or distribute it as they saw fit. The funding for these colonies often came from private investors or the proprietors themselves, who were essentially financing their own colonies based on their expectations of profit from land sales, agriculture, or resource extraction. This private ownership model distinguished proprietary colonies from royal colonies, where the governance was directly managed by the Crown, and charter colonies, where governance was outlined in a charter with relatively more autonomy. The decision-making and administration in proprietary colonies were rooted in private interests rather than the direct oversight of the monarchy, showcasing the significant impact of private ownership on their structure and governance.