16 - Major Events in the Colonies - Albany Plan of Union

•Read the Albany Plan of Union of 1754, written by Benjamin Franklin (PDF provided)
•Discuss:
•How does the Albany Plan of Union reflect changes in the British government of the previous few centuries?
•How does the Plan reflect the developments of self-governments in the colonies over the previous century and a half?
•How does this Plan anticipate the looming Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution?
•Does this Plan differ in any way from what we now know as the U.S. government?
•How different might history have been if this Plan had been successful?
***Both the colonies and the British government rejected this plan. The colonies believed it provided too much influence for the British and for a central government over their local, colonial freedoms. The British government believed it gave too much freedom to the colonies and feared creating a united, separate government over the colonies.