Final answer:
The Governor's Council is the American colonial institution most similar to the House of Lords, serving as the upper house of the colonial legislature and advising the governor on executive matters.
Step-by-step explanation:
The American colonial institution that is roughly analogous to the House of Lords in England is the Governor's Council. Like the House of Lords, which was the upper chamber of the British Parliament and was composed of hereditary peers, bishops, and other members, the Governor's Council served as the upper house of the colonial legislature and advised the governor on executive decisions. It also acted concurrently with the governor as the highest appeals court in the colony.
In the British colonial system, each colony developed governmental structures that mirrored the British government. This included the governor (representing the king), the Governor's Council (analogous to the king's council and the House of Lords), and the colonial assembly (similar to the House of Commons). The Governor's Council had three primary functions: advising the governor on executive decisions, acting as the upper house of the legislature, and serving as part of the highest appeals court.