It is a judge or jury. Think of someone who declared that someone was guilty. They are the convicts.
The name of the military alliance formed to counter the Soviet expansion was the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO provided a strong military alliance to counter the Soviet Unions expansion. Approximately twelve Western European and North American nations agreed to act together in the defense of Western Europe, such as France and Italy.
It made a population boom during 1700's to 1750's. The new colonies were able to increase their population twice or more than twice of the size in the population in every 20 years. This includes the slaves and migration from other countries.
Disruptive colonial resistance to the Townshend Act's tax on tea and other products.