Under British imperial policy, the colonies were to be run by whom?

• A. By the colonists themselves for self-rule
• B. The colonies would be governed by Parliament in London
• C. For England, by England
• D. Under local charters

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that imperial policy treated the colonies as English possessions to be governed from England to serve English interests. The Crown appointed governors and officials, and Parliament created laws and regulations that directed colonial policy and trade. Local assemblies could manage day-to-day affairs within those bounds, but ultimate authority rested with England and could be overridden by royal authority. That’s why governance was by England, not by the colonists themselves. Local charters offered limited self-government only under imperial oversight, not true independence, and the notion of the colonies being run entirely by the colonists does not fit the imperial framework.