The Albany Plan of Union
While the conflict in the Ohio River Valley was occurring, leaders from the English
colonies and the Iroquois nations met in Albany, New York to discuss the tension
between the English and French. The meeting was needed to plan a united defense
against the French and to encourage the Iroquois to help the English fight against the
French. At this meeting, Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union as a
way to unite the colonies. The plan called for each colony to send representatives to
the Grand Council. This council would be able to collect taxes, raise armies, make
treaties and start new settlements. Leaders in Albany supported it, but the colonial
legislatures later defeated it because they did not want to give up control of their own
affairs.
Following the defeat of the Albany Plan of Union, Benjamin Franklin published the
following famous engraving. This engraving will later become the first political
cartoon.
1) What do the letters along the snake refer to?
2) What did Franklin propose in the Albany Plan of Union?
3) What do you think the snake and the title, “Join or Die” means?
4) How do you think Franklin felt about the rejection of this proposal?