Dominion of New England

Dominion of New England
1686 (1686)–1689 (1689)
Flag Seal
Motto: Nunquam libertas gratior extat (Latin) Nowhere does liberty appear in a greater form (English)
Map of the Dominion, represented in dark red, as of 1688. Names of the constituent and neighboring colonies also shown.
Status	Colonial union
Capital	Boston
Common languages	English, Dutch, French, Iroquoian, Algonquian
Government	Crown colony
Monarch
• 1686–1688	James II
• 1688–1689	William III & Mary II
Royal Governor
• 1686	Joseph Dudley
• 1686–1689	Edmund Andros
Lieutenant Governor
• 1688–1689	Francis Nicholson
Legislature	Council of New England
Historical era	British colonization of the Americas Glorious Revolution Colonial history of the United States
• Established	1686 (1686)
• Boston revolt	April 18, 1689 (1689-04-18)
• New York revolt	May 31, 1689 (1689-05-31)
• Disestablished	1689 (1689)
Currency	Pound sterling
Preceded by Succeeded by New England Colonies Province of New York Province of East Jersey Province of West Jersey New England Colonies Province of New York Province of East Jersey Province of West Jersey
Today part of	United States

The Dominion of New England in America (1686–1689) was an administrative union of English colonies covering all of New England and the Mid-Atlantic Colonies, with the exception of the Delaware Colony and the Province of Pennsylvania. The region's political structure was one of centralized control similar to the model used by the Spanish monarchy under the Viceroyalty of New Spain. The dominion was unacceptable to most colonists because they deeply resented being stripped of their rights and having their colonial charters revoked. Governor Edmund Andros tried to make legal and structural changes, but most of these were undone and the Dominion was overthrown as soon as word was received that King James II had vacated the throne in England. One notable change was the forced introduction of the Church of England into Massachusetts, whose Puritan leaders had previously refused to allow it any foothold.

The Dominion encompassed a very large area from the Delaware River in the south to Penobscot Bay in the north, composed of the Province of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Plymouth Colony, Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut Colony, Province of New York, the provinces of East Jersey and West Jersey, and a small portion of Maine. It was too large for a single governor to manage. Governor Andros was highly unpopular and was seen as a threat by most political factions. News of the Glorious Revolution in England reached Boston in 1689, and the Puritans launched the 1689 Boston revolt against Andros, arresting him and his officers.

Leisler's Rebellion in New York deposed the dominion's lieutenant governor Francis Nicholson. After these events, the colonies that had been assembled into the dominion reverted to their previous forms of government, although some governed formally without a charter. King William III of England and Queen Mary II eventually issued new charters.