Final answer:
The colonists manifested their self-governance primarily via The Mayflower Compact, The Virginia House of Burgesses, and the Declaration of Independence. These foundational documents and institutions, respectively, underscored the principle of self-governance and democratic decision-making.
Step-by-step explanation:
The colonists in the American colonies demonstrated their self-governance primarily through The Mayflower Compact, The Virginia House of Burgesses, and ultimately through the Declaration of Independence. The Mayflower Compact, authored by the Pilgrims, was an early agreement decided upon the principle of self-governance. It was signed by men who agreed to abide by the rules and laws agreed upon democratically.
The Virginia House of Burgesses, established in 1619, represented another manifestation of self-governance, as it was essentially a legislative assembly where laws were made in the interest of the colonists. With the onset of the American Revolution, when this tradition of self-government was perceived to be under threat, the colonists spearheaded the Declaration of Independence asserting their sovereignty.
The Declaration of Independence, written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, not only pronounced the colonies' separation from Britain but provided a justification for liberty, rooted in the consent of those being governed, central to the notion of self-governance.
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