In the context of the history of the American government, explain the structure and benefits of colonial legislatures.

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Answers will vary. The British colonies in America were under the rule of the British monarchy. Britain, however, was thousands of miles away-it took two months to sail across the Atlantic. Thus, to a significant extent, colonial legislatures carried on the "nuts and bolts" of colonial government. These legislatures, or representative assemblies, consisted of representatives elected by the colonists. The earliest colonial legislature was the Virginia House of Burgesses, established in 1619. By the time of the American Revolution, all of the colonies had representative assemblies. Many had been in existence for more than a hundred years. Through their participation in colonial governments, the colonists gained crucial political experience. Colonial leaders became familiar with the practical problems of governing. They learned how to build coalitions among groups with diverse interests and how to make compromises. Indeed, by the time of the American Revolution in 1776, Americans had formed a complex, sophisticated political system. The colonists benefited from their political experiences. They were quickly able to establish their own constitutions and state governments after they declared their independence from Britain in 1776. Eventually, they were able to set up a national government as well.