Apostolic Prefecture of the United States Apostolic Prefecture of the United States The Apostolic Prefecture of the United States () was the earliest Roman Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction to be officially recognized after the United States declared independence in 1776. Before and during the American Revolutionary War, the Catholics in the Thirteen Colonies (not including Canada) were under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of the London District in England. The war was formally ended by the Treaty of Paris, which was signed on September 3, 1783, and was ratified by the Congress of the Confederation (of the newly independent United States of
Statistics of the Colonies of the British Empire Great Britain, dated in 1838. Areas within the British Empire were coloured in pink. Martin claimed in the preface report that the map was attached by Mr. Wyld, the Queen’s geographer. In the next section is an overview of the statistics of the colonies, followed by the preface which was named “Report” as well as the index. Next comes the seals of the colonies of the British Empire, designed by Mr. Wyon, the chief engraver of the Royal Mint. Stated in the preface, Martin claimed that it was the first time that the seals were shown to the public. His