During the 17th century, which colonies appointed notaries?

• A. Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia
• B. Georgia, South Carolina, and New Jersey
• C. Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania
• D. Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Maine

Answer: (A)

Notaries were part of the English legal tradition brought to the colonies to certify documents, witness signatures, administer oaths, and record instruments like deeds and wills. In the 17th century, some colonies established official notary offices to handle these duties as commerce and land transfers grew. Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia were among the colonies that appointed notaries during this period to support legal and commercial transactions. Other colonies either didn’t set up formal notary offices yet or relied on different officials for attestations, and Georgia didn’t exist yet. So the colonies that appointed notaries in the 17th century were Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia.