Beginnings.

The evolution of parliamentary government in Europe directly influenced the political structures that emerged in North America. Parliaments, or legislative assemblies, developed out of the feudal monarchies during the medieval period. The kings of Europe during that era often turned to their vassal underlords and court clergy for advice and counsel. These discussions between the king and his advisors were called parleys. In these meetings the king asked his vassals to support his policies for the country, requested their financial support, and listened to grievances from around the realm. In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries some European monarchs began inviting representatives from the towns and villages of their kingdom to important parleys. These assemblies of local representatives, noblemen, and clergy developed into formal parliaments, assemblies devoted to representing the interests of the different estates of a nation. During the early stages of...