Attempts to Unite the American Colonies before the...

Since the founding of the Thirteen Colonies, the colonists enjoyed a degree of autonomy and self sufficiency from the mother country, England. The colonies had colonial assemblies, which were more democratic than England’s and were independent governments. British mercantilist laws were not strictly enforced due to the policy commonly referred to as salutary neglect. However, as the British increasingly ignore the problems the colonies faced, the colonies began to look for a common government to lead them. This eventually led to three distinct efforts at intercolonial cooperation and union: The New England Confederation, Penn’s Plan of Union, and The Albany Plan of Union. Therefore, although there were unsuccessful attempts to unite the†¦show more content†¦However, according to the document, attempts by Massachusetts to dominate the alliance caused the other members to end their participation. The confederation continued until 1684, when it was dissolved, aft er an existence of forty-one years. The New England Confederation was a small first step toward formal cooperation among the colonies, but attempts by one of the colonies to violate the pact helped to break the fragile union. Unlike the New England Confederation, Penns Plan of Union was never implemented. However, the plan would unify the colonies in many ways if it were to be executed. According to Penns Plan of Union, the colonies would meet at least once a year; there will be a Congress to resolve issues, and a High Commissioner to govern the Congress of Union. There will also be a common justice system to link the colonies further. Nevertheless, the plan will not be utilized due to distrust among colonies, but it did reflect a need for a common government. One of the last of the colonial plans of union to be considered before the outbreak of the American Revolution was the Albany Plan of Union. Proposed by Benjamin Franklin, the plan called for a single executive to be appointe d by the King, who would be responsible for Indian relations, military preparedness, and execution of laws regulating various trade and financial activities. It called for a Grand Council to beShow MoreRelatedThe Revolution Of The American Revolution999 Words   |  4 Pagesfull-on revolution. The American Revolution, also known as the Revolutionary War, was a time of revolting and political uprising, in which the 13 colonies separated from the British Empire, forming the independent nation known as the United States of America. 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