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Canada Act

(Encyclopedia)Canada Act, also called the Constitutional Act of 1982, which made Canada a fully sovereign state. The British Parliament approved it on Mar. 25, 1982, and Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed it on Apr. 17,...

Oliver, Andrew

(Encyclopedia)Oliver, Andrew, 1706โ€“74, lieutenant governor of colonial Massachusetts (1771โ€“73), b. Boston. Oliver was elected to the provincial council in 1746 and later served as secretary of the province. His...

Morton, John, political leader in the American Revolution

(Encyclopedia)Morton, John, c.1724โ€“1777, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. Chester co., Pa. He was a member of the Pennsylvania assembly (1756โ€“66, 1769โ€...

Stamp, Josiah Charles, 1st Baron Stamp of Shortlands

(Encyclopedia)Stamp, Josiah Charles, 1st Baron Stamp of Shortlands, 1880โ€“1941, English economist and financier. Active in many national and international economic commissions, he had an important part in the fram...

Lewis, Francis

(Encyclopedia)Lewis, Francis, 1713โ€“1802?, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. Llandaff, Wales. As clothing contractor for British troops during the French an...

Otis, James

(Encyclopedia)Otis, James, 1725โ€“83, American colonial political leader, b. Barnstable co., Mass. A lawyer first in Plymouth and then in Boston, he won great distinction and served (1756โ€“61) as advocate general ...

Ashe, John

(Encyclopedia)Ashe, John, c.1720โ€“1781, American Revolutionary general, b. Brunswick co., N.C. Speaker of the colonial assembly (1762โ€“65) and a leader of the opposition to the Stamp Act, he was important to the ...

Fitch, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Fitch, Thomas, c.1700โ€“1774, colonial governor of Connecticut, b. Norwalk, Conn. A lawyer, Fitch was an assistant in the colony (1734โ€“35, 1740โ€“50). The assembly elected him deputy governor in 175...

Johnson, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Johnson, Thomas, 1732โ€“1819, American political leader, b. Calvert co., Md. A lawyer, he served (1762โ€“73) in the Maryland colonial assembly, where he became prominent in the fight against the Stamp...

Allen, William

(Encyclopedia)Allen, William, 1704โ€“80, American jurist, b. Philadelphia. He and his father-in-law, Andrew Hamilton, decided the choice of Philadelphia instead of Chester as provincial capital, and he helped finan...