[4Zoltan]

"They were also CITIZENS of the several states."

Obviously, after July 4th, 1776 there would be "CITIZENS of the several states". But the proposed amendments say citizens before 7/4/1776 ("has not become a citizen before the 4th day of July, 1776" and "Citizens on or before the fourth day of July one thousand seven hundred and seventy six"). There were no states before 7/4/1776 only English colonies.

The argument is that there were no natural born citizens before July 4th, 1776. My question is - who would the New York ratifying convention consider to be a citizens before 7/4/1776?

[Ladysforest]

Basically, the people who reside in a land are it’s citizens. Citizenship implies that everybody has access to the same rights. They were subjects of England, citizens in a colony.

I used the word “States”, for which I denounce myself.

[RegulatorCountry]

Several colonial governments regarded their populace not as subjects but as citizens, 4Zoltan. That would be the source of the reference.

Colonial citizenship continued on from establishment of governance in these colonies through to the seventeenth century and the era of the Declaration.

As for my own source, please see: The Great Republic by the Master Historians, Volume II, Hubert H. Bankcroft, Editor, published 1902.