Provisions for the establishment of the Prince Edward Island House of Assembly were included in the instructions to Governor Walter Patterson dated 4 August 1769. The first general Assembly sat in 1773. Patterson had difficulty in locating 18 "respectable" people to sit as members of the Assembly in such a sparsely populated colony. Qualifications to sit as members of the assembly were Protestantism and local residency. Voting was Island wide for the full slate of candidates. The terms of both the session of the Assembly and for members were at the pleasure of the Governor which varied from one to 12 years until an 1807 statute set the term of the legislature to seven years. In 1833, the term was reduced to 4 years. Four members from each of the three counties and two from each of the three county towns were elected to the legislature, until 1838, when the Election Act increased the number of members to 24. The 1838 act changed the constituencies -- each county was divided into three districts with two members each, the three county towns continued to return two members each. In 1856, the Election Act again increased the number of members to 30 to correspond with Prince Edward Island's increasing population.

By 1830, Roman Catholics were permitted to vote, and hold civil and military offices. The evolution of political parties on P.E.I. helped to keep the Governor and the appointed Legislative Council in check. The Legislative and Executive Councils were one body until 1839 and seats were held during the pleasure of the Governor. General elections of members were occasionally held the same day, however, most often they were held over several days in various parts of the province. The one day election system was not adopted until 1848. The Loyal Electors were formed under the DesBarres regime in an effort to oppose the influence of cliques, compacts and proprietors on the Legislative Council and the Governor, and to gain control over the Assembly. The fight to establish political parties encouraged the implementation of responsible government which was realized in 1851. The functions and responsibilities of the House of Assembly include the passing of laws pertaining to provincial jurisdiction, the accountability of the government's management of provincial affairs, approval of Government spending and revenue, provides a forum for debate on public issues, and upholds the principles of parliamentary law. The Executive council or cabinet of the legislature consisted of nine members of the House of Assembly. The Premier most often is the President of the Executive Council.

Until 1887, the Lieutenant Governor also attended the meetings of the Executive which met regularly to discuss government matters. Unique to the government of Prince Edward Island is the body of minutes kept by the secretary or Clerk of the Executive Council since 1770 which provide insight to the process and functions of government.

In 1893 an act regarding the legislature abolished both the Legislative Council and the House of Assembly and created one house of legislature, the Legislative Assembly of P.E.I.