1. Land Ownership: In a proprietary colony, ownership of the land was granted by the English crown to a single individual or a group of individuals known as proprietors, who held extensive power over the colony.
2. Government Structure: The proprietors had substantial control over the colony’s government. They often created representative assemblies, such as a lower house of representatives elected by the settlers. However, the proprietors generally appointed the governor and the upper house of the assembly, ensuring that their interests were upheld.
3. Economic Focus: Proprietary colonies were frequently established for economic reasons, with proprietors aiming to make profits from the land, resources, and trade within the colony.
4. Religious Freedom: Proprietors sometimes used their colonies to promote religious freedom or accommodate specific religious groups. For instance, the Maryland colony was founded as a haven for English Catholics.
5. Limits to Power: Over time, the authority of proprietors faced challenges from colonists seeking greater representation, self-governance, and protection of their rights. Eventually, many proprietary colonies transitioned into royal colonies or, in some cases, became self-governed.
Self-Governed Colony:
1. Autonomy: Self-governed colonies had a greater degree of autonomy compared to proprietary colonies. They were often characterized by a greater level of self-governance and democratic principles.
2. Representative Assemblies: Self-governed colonies typically had representative assemblies, such as colonial legislatures, in which elected representatives of the colonists made laws, determined taxes, and oversaw local matters.
3. Limited Control by the Crown: While still under the authority of the crown, self-governed colonies enjoyed greater freedom in shaping their own internal policies and making decisions based on the interests and needs of the local community.
4. Charter of Liberties: Some self-governed colonies, such as the Connecticut and Rhode Island colonies, adopted "charters of liberties" or constitutions that defined the rights and responsibilities of the colonists and established a framework for self-government.
5. Economic Development: Self-governed colonies generally experienced economic development and growth as a result of their relatively independent decision-making and responsive government structures.
In essence, the main difference between a proprietary colony and a self-governed colony lies in the degree of control over land, government, and decision-making. Proprietary colonies were more directly influenced by the proprietors' agenda, while self-governed colonies had greater autonomy and allowed for more extensive participation and representation of the colonists.