The modern European nations had followed the Roman system.

Until the United States sprang into being every great colonizing people followed one system or the other.
The American Republic, taking advantage of its fortunate federal features and of its strong central government, boldly struck out on a new path, which secured the freedom-giving properties of the Greek method, while preserving national Union as carefully as it was preserved by the Roman Empire.

New States were created, which stood on exactly the same footing as the old; and yet these new States formed integral and inseparable parts of a great and rapidly growing nation.

This movement was original with the American Republic; she was dealing with new conditions, and on this point the history of England merely taught her what to avoid.

The English colonies were subject to the British Crown, and therefore to Great Britain.