The Politics and Government of Colonial New York

Sir Edmund Andros.

New York was a proprietary colony owned by James II. He granted freedom of conscience to the citizens of New York. This brought about a limited form of self-government. James did not directly control New York, instead he accredited a governor. The first governor was a man named Richard Nicolls. It was under him that New Amsterdam became New York. The proprietary form of government ceased in 1685 under the rule of the governor Edmund Andros, when New York became a royal colony.