The Albany Failure Essay, Research Paper

The Albany Failure

Benjamin Franklin drew a plan for the colonies with the goal of uniting all colonies together under the King. The colonies nor the English wanted to accept this plan. After riducule and questioning of current success by the people, the Albany Plan of 1754 was vetoed. Thus proving to all the world that America was a world of independent thought.

The Albany Plan was written to fairly represent all colonies under the King of England and to set regulations on expansion into Indian territory. In trying to convince the colonies to support this plan, Franklin drew a cartoon of a snake divided evenly into pieces. This was to show how the plan gave everyone a piece of control in the government. The plan was fair in the divisions, but not completely clear in the control lying in the hands of the King.

Groups of colonists opposed this plan due to the idea of giving their control to the King. In the Albany Plan, the King appointed the leader, or President-General, of the Grand Council. This meant that the thoughts and ideas of the colonists, although they may be heard, would not always be listened to or ever taken into consideration. The colonists did not enjoy this idea of having their freedom of decision removed and therefore most vetoed the plan.

Other smaller groups of colonists supported the plan. This plan gave equal representation to each colony according to size, in the Grand Council. The Albany Plan allowed the colonies to feel as if they had a say in their government and much like today’s congress, they would be able to decide their own laws, regulations, and most importantly their fate. For these reasons, New York supported the plan. Unfortunately, New York’s vote was not enough to override all the colonies which opposed the plan.

Benjamin franklin’s idea was perhaps too advanced for his time and therefore failed. Colonists did not want to give their power to the King and they wanted to remain independently successful. The colonies refused to agree to the regulations set by the Albany plan and therefore they were not completely united under the King of England.