A dominion, often Dominion, Merriam Webster's Online Dictionary (based on Collegiate vol., 11th ed.) 2006. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc. was an autonomous community within the British Empire (and later the British Commonwealth) prior to 1948, Hillmer, Norman; McIntyre, W. David; Canadian Encyclopedia: Commonwealth and included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, Irish Free State, India, and Pakistan.Use of the word dominion, as a general term for any British overseas territory, dates back to the 17th century. Dominion was first conferred as title upon Dominion and Colony of Virginia circa 1660, the Dominion of New England (1686), and Canada (1867). The Imperial Conference of 1907 decided that self-governing territories in the empire ? Canada and Australia ? should be referred to as Dominions, as opposed to colonies.Roberts, J.M.; The Penguin History of the World; Penguin Books; London; 1995; p. 777; ISBN 357910864 New Zealand and Newfoundland were
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominion