The royal charters issued to the colonists were the king's declaration to the colonists of their rights and responsibilities to him. Colonists typically drafted a compact or pact, such as the Mayflower Compact, an agreement between them, defining how they would govern themselves in accordance with royal charters. Because the British demonstrated salutary neglect, the colonists were able to chart their own path to independent development. Although technically under the authority of the British crown and crown-appointed governors, the American colonies developed highly independent legislatures that passed laws for their own governance. The assembly, or lower house of legislative power, represented the interests of the people and was elected by them. Most people were also accustomed to democratic practices such as voting, petitions, public debates, and demonstrations (45). Because the colonists were accustomed to a high degree of self-government and democratic practices, many were outraged when Parliament imposed the Stamp Act on the colonies. Colonial legislatures were accustomed to passing their laws regarding taxation, so when the Stamp Act came into effect, some legislatures went so far as to declare the law illegal and unconstitutional (44). Events following the Stamp Act, such as the Boston Massacre, and the Quartering Act led to the formation of the Continental Congress..