The Albany Congress brought together colonial representatives to
discuss relations with native tribes and common defense against the
French.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE [ edit ]
Identify the Albany Congress
KEY POINTS [ edit ]
The Albany Congress was a meeting of representatives from seven of the thirteen British North
American colonies in 1754: Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,New
York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
Representatives met daily at Albany, New York from June 19 to July 11 to discuss better relations
with the Indian tribes and common defensive measures against the French during the French and
Indian War.
Delegates did not view themselves as builders of an American nation; rather, they were colonists
with the more limited mission of pursuing a treaty with the Mohawks.
The episode has achieved iconic status as presaging the formation of the United States of America
in 1776.
TERMS [ edit ]
President General
The leader of the sachems who presides over the grand council in Iroquois government.
Grand Council
An assembly of fifty hereditary sachems , or, hereditary chiefs in Iroquois tribe.
Albany Plan
The Albany Plan of Union was proposed by Benjamin Franklin at the Albany Congress in 1754 in
Albany, New York.
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The Albany Congress was a meeting of representatives from seven of the thirteen British
North American colonies in 1754: Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Representatives met daily at Albany, New York
from June 19 to July 11 to discuss better relations with the Indian tribes and common
defensive measures against the French during the French and Indian War. Delegates did not
view themselves as builders of an American nation. Rather, they were colonists with the
more limited mission of pursuing a treaty with the Mohawks. The episode has achieved
iconic status as presaging the formation of the United States of America in 1776, and is often
illustrated with Franklin's famous snake cartoon, "Join or Die! "
History of the Meeting
The Albany delegates spent most of their time debatingBenjamin Franklin's Albany Plan of
union. It would have created a unified colonial entity. The delegates voted approval of a plan
that called for a union of twelve colonies, with a president appointed by the Crown. Each
colonialassembly would send two to seven delegates to a "grand council" that would have
legislative powers. The Union would have jurisdiction over Indian affairs.
Plan of Union
Franklin proposed a plan for uniting the seven colonies that greatly exceeded the scope of the
congress. The original plan was heavily debated by all who attended the conference and
numerous modifications were proposed until the plan proceeded to be passed unanimously.
The plan was submitted as a recommendation but was rejected by thelegislatures of the
individual seven colonies since it would remove some of their existing powers.
The Union plan included all of the British colonies in North America, except Delaware and
Georgia. The plan called for a single executive, President General, to be appointed and
supported by the Crown, 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 be selected by the colonial legislatures where the number of delegates
would be based on the taxes paid by each colony.
The plan was rejected by the colonies and by the Colonial Office. Many in the British
government, already wary of some of the strong­willed colonial assemblies, disliked the idea
of consolidating additional power into their hands. Instead, they preferred that the colonists'
focus remain on the forthcoming military campaign. Even though rejected, some features of
this plan were later adopted in the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. Franklin
himself later speculated that had the 1754 plan been adopted, the colonial separation from
England might not have happened so soon.
The Albany Congress
In 1754 the British government asked colonial representatives to meet in Albany, New York, to
develop a treaty with Native Americans and plan the defense of the colonies against France.
Exceeding these limited objectives, the assembly adopted a plan developed by Benjamin Franklin for
government of the colonies by a central executive and a council of delegates. Although rejected by
England and the colonies, the Albany Plan became a useful guide in the years leading up to the
Revolutionary War. The mural depicts some of the delegates (from left to right): William Franklin
and his father, Benjamin (Pennsylvania); Governor Thomas Hutchinson (Massachusetts); Governor
William Delancey (New York); Sir William Johnson (Massachusetts); Colonel Benjamin Tasker
(Maryland).