Who Was Edmund Andros? (Simple Facts About the Controversial Colonial Governor)

That Edmund Andros, he was a big shot, you know, a real fancy pants from England. Born way back in 1637, December 6th, I heard. Died in 1714. Lived a long life, that one. He was some kinda big-wig, an administrator, they called it. Went over to that America place, North America, to try and boss people around.

He was some big cheese, Governor of New England, it’s called. From 1686 to 1689, that’s what they say. Three years, ain’t that something? He tried to make one big colony outta a bunch of smaller ones. Dominion of New England, he called it. Fancy name for a bossy idea, if you ask me. Didn’t work out too well for him, though.

Folks over there didn’t like him much. Made a lotta enemies, I reckon. He tried to make them follow all sorts of rules, those Navigation Acts. Said their land wasn’t really theirs. Wouldn’t let ’em have their town meetings. Made them mad, real mad. He even put his own army men in charge. That’s like putting a fox in the henhouse, I tell ya!

• Born in London, that Edmund Andros.
• He was a governor, a big shot boss.
• Tried to boss the colonies around.
• People didn’t like him, not one bit.

He was governor, yeah, but that Dominion of New England, it only lasted three years, mostly. He did other governor things too, in other places, but that New England time, that was the big one, I guess.

He was a colonial administrator, they call it. That means he went over there to the colonies, from England, to run things. Worked for the British, you know, the big bosses from across the ocean. They sent him over to keep an eye on things, make sure everyone was toeing the line.

Now, they got these old papers, charters they call ’em. This Edmund Andros, he probably had to read those things. One was from 1629, the Colony Charter. Then there’s the Province Charter, from 1691. And another one, the Explanatory Charter, from 1725. Lots of rules in those things, I bet.

He had a long career, this Edmund Andros. Born in Guernsey, I heard. That’s in England, too. Worked for the British government his whole life, pretty much. Went around to different colonies, bossing people around. That’s what those colonial administrators did, I reckon.

This Edmund Andros, he was the Governor of the Dominion of New England. That’s a mouthful, ain’t it? He tried to change things, shake things up. Didn’t work out so good, though. People don’t like being told what to do, especially when it’s some fancy pants from across the ocean doing the telling.

People got fed up with him, that Edmund Andros. Something happened, the Glorious Revolution, they called it. Big changes back in England. And that kinda messed things up for him over in America. They kicked him out, sent him packing back to England.

So, that Edmund Andros, he was a big shot, but he wasn’t so big in the end, was he? Tried to be the boss, but the people, they had other ideas. You can’t push people around forever, you know. They’ll push back eventually. And that’s what happened to that Edmund Andros.

It’s important to remember folks like this Edmund Andros, though. Even if they weren’t so popular. He was a big part of that time, you know, back when America was still gettin’ started. He tried to do things his way, didn’t he? He tried to keep things how he wanted. That’s what those Governor Andros types do. They try to make sure everyone is following the rules and doing what they are told.

They say he was trying to stop those colonies from getting too big for their britches. Wanted to keep ’em under England’s thumb. But those folks over there, they had other plans. They wanted to be their own bosses, run their own show. And in the end, that’s what they did.

• Edmund Andros, a name to remember.
• Governor of New England, for a while.
• Tried to control the colonies, he did.
• But the people, they had other plans.

He wasn’t from around these parts, that’s for sure. Came from across the big water, that Edmund Andros. But he sure did make a mark, didn’t he? Even if it was a mark some folks wanted to rub right out! He was a big part of history, this fella, even if folks ain’t too fond of rememberin’ him. It’s good to know about those times, though. Helps you understand how things got to be the way they are now, don’t it?