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Primary sourceDocument28 December 1771

Proclamation by Governor Thomas Hutchinson Proroguing the General Court

Thomas Hutchinson · 28 December 1771

A printed 1771 proclamation issued by Governor Thomas Hutchinson, showing his exercise of royal authority in Massachusetts.

Hutchinson issued and signed this proclamation himself as governor, exercising his royal authority over the colony's legislature.

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Scan of a printed 1771 proclamation from the Province of Massachusetts Bay, headed 'By the Governor. A Proclamation For Proroguing the General Court', signed by Thomas Hutchinson, with a royal coat of arms at top.
Proclamation by Governor Thomas Hutchinson, Province of Massachusetts Bay, December 28, 1771.

About this source

What it is

This is a printed proclamation dated December 28, 1771, headed 'By the Governor. A Proclamation For Proroguing the General Court.' It was issued and signed by Thomas Hutchinson in his capacity as Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and bears a royal coat of arms at the top.

Why it matters

Proroguing, or suspending, the General Court (the colony's legislature) was a power governors used to control when colonial lawmakers could meet. This document shows Hutchinson directly exercising the authority of the Crown over Massachusetts government, a role that made him a central and controversial figure as tensions between Britain and the colonies grew.

Look closer

  • Why would a governor want the power to suspend the legislature's sessions?
  • What does the royal coat of arms on the document tell you about where Hutchinson's authority came from?
  • How might colonists who wanted more self-government have reacted to proclamations like this?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Thomas Hutchinson on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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