The Rights of the Colonists

When Adams references the “colonies,” he means the thirteen British colonies in North America that eventually declared independence in 1776 and became the United States of America. There was no immediate threat of independence when Adams wrote this essay in 1772, but the thirteen colonies had begun to resist British policy (notably, taxation without representation in Parliament). The colonies were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

The British Empire comprised many colonies—about thirty—in different parts of the world by the time of the American Revolution. Adams makes references to the British Empire as a whole, which included colonies all over the globe, but his immediate concerns are with the colonies along the eastern shore of North America, and particularly Massachusetts where he was most influential.  Somewhat confusingly, historical narratives refer to the colonies as both British colonies and American colonies. 

Parliament is the legislative body of the British government. It consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Members of the House of Lords (the “upper house”) receive their positions because of their social status or lineage. They are appointed by the monarch.