In the mid-1770s, as British rule collapsed in the American colonies, established governments were effectively abolished, leading to a period where no formal governing bodies were firmly in place. Historian Tom Paine noted in The Rights of Man that for over two years from the start of the American War, and even longer in some states, there were no established governments. Despite this, order and harmony were maintained comparably to European countries.

From 1774 to 1776, old colonial regimes gradually shriveled away rather than being instantly replaced by new states. Some remnants of previous governments survived by shifting their loyalty to revolutionary bodies. For example, in Georgia in 1775, rebels compelled the king's rangers to surrender but later reinstated them under the revolutionary Council of Safety.

The Continental Association, adopted by the First Continental Congress in 1774, aimed to unify the colonies through measures such as boycotting British goods and discouraging extravagances. However, as sociologist Ronald McCarthy reported in Before Lexington, it lacked the enforcement mechanisms typical of a state, such as jails or fines.

Historian Ray Raphael described how, starting in August 1774, angry citizens in Massachusetts prevented courts operating under British authority from convening. By October, all Crown-appointed officials had either renounced British authority or fled to Boston, which remained under military protection.

This era was characterized by "dual sovereignty and parallel government," relying heavily on the voluntary withdrawal of support from the old regime and its transfer to new, improvised institutions. Despite the absence of formal governments, the colonies maintained social order during this transitional period.

Sources: Reason, "Government Totally Annihilated: How Americans Governed Themselves as British Rule Crumbled," July 14, 2026.