| The Liberties of the Massachusetts Collonie in New England | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Legal Code |
| Context | Puritan migration to New England (1620–1640) |
| Drafted | 1641 |
| Expiration | 1684 |
| Ratifiers | Great and General Court of Massachusetts |
The Massachusetts Body of Liberties was the first legal code established in New England, compiled by Puritan minister Nathaniel Ward. The laws were established by the Massachusetts General Court in 1641. The Body of Liberties begins by establishing the exclusive right of the General Court to legislate and dictate the "Countenance of Authority".
In 1684, King Charles II revoked the Body of Liberties and reinstated English law over the Commonwealth. King James II established the Massachusetts Colony, and the Body of Liberties took effect and remained so until it was replaced by the 1691 Provincial Charter.[1]
Though towns such as Dedham and Watertown had already established them, the Body of Liberties recognized boards of selectmen for the first time.[2]
- ^ Encyclopedia of American civil liberties, Volume 1, Ed. Paul Finkelman, entry written by Sherrow Pinder, CRC Press, 2006, ISBN 0-415-94342-6, page 979.
- ^ Lockridge, Kenneth A.; Kreider, Alan (1966). "The Evolution of Massachusetts Town Government, 1640 to 1740". The William and Mary Quarterly. 23 (4): 549–574. doi:10.2307/1919125. JSTOR 1919125.