What is Anglicanism?
The Anglican Church is an historic branch of the Church established by Jesus Christ Himself. The word Anglican comes from the Latin and means English, Celtic spiritual heritage and roots in the ancient Church of the British Isles. As such, the Anglican, Church has had a continuous and unbroken existence since the founding of the Church by Jesus Christ nearly 20 centuries ago. The Anglican Church was brought to America by English explorers, missionaries and colonists, with the first parish. In a like manner the Anglican Church spread throughout the world. Anglican churches are now found on every continent, and its members make up the third largest body of Christians in the world. The Anglican Church was the established State Church in six of the original thirteen American colonies and was active in all of the others. George Washington and most of the founding fathers of the United States were Anglicans, as were some two-thirds of the signers of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. After the American Revolution, Anglicans in America established a national branch of the Anglican Church, making only modifications in its liturgy's and practices as seemed necessary to life in the new nation. Anglicans in the United States began to call their Church by the name Episcopal, because theirs was a church led by bishops. Episcopal means bishop.
Bibliography http://www.holycrossomaha.net/Holy_Cross_Anglican_Church/Holy_Cross_Anglican_Church,_Home_files/AN%20INTRODUCTION%20TO%20ANGLICANISM%20-%2006-28-09.pdf http://www.anglican.org.au/content/home/about/a_history_of_anglicanism/Part_1_Church_of_England_Origins.aspx http://www.abc.net.au/religion/stories/s820572.htm