The following is a brief outline of the various attempts at union among the colonies.
(a) 1643-1684—New England Confederation: Massachusetts Bay; Plymouth; Connecticut; New Haven.
(b) 1684—Albany Council.
(c) 1690—First Colonial Congress.
(d) 1696—William Penn's Plan.
(e) 1701—Robert Livingston's Plan.
(f) 1722—Plan of Daniel Cox.
(g) 1754—Plan of Rev. Mr. Peters.
(h) 1754—Plan of the Lords of Trade.
(i) 1754—Albany Plan.
(j) 1765—Stamp Act Congress.
(k) 1774—First Continental Congress.
(l) 1775—Second Continental Congress.
(m) 1781—Congress of the Confederation.
(n) 1787—The Federal Convention.
(o) 1789—The New Government.
The chief reasons keeping the colonies apart were:
1. Natural geographical divisions—North, Middle, and South.
2. The great differences in size—Virginia many times larger than Rhode Island.
3. The instinct of local self government.
4. Character of settlers and the motives in making settlements.
5. The slave question, especially after 1750.
6. Their different forms of government—Royal, Proprietary, Charter.
The very first attempt at constitution making in the colonies was the Mayflower Compact, adopted on board the ship Mayflower before landing on December 20, 1620. It reads as follows: “We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dred soveraigne King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, defender of the faith, etc. having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of Christian faith and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in northern parts of Virginia, do, by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and of one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for, our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and, by virtue hereof, to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony. Unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names, at Cape Cod, the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, King James, of England, France and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, Anno Domini.”
The first real attempt at formal constitution making was the “Fundamental Orders of Connecticut”, 1639. These “Orders” formed an elementary constitution with three departments of government and the duties and powers of each department fairly well set forth. The Fundamental Orders are frequently referred to as the first written constitution in America.
The Articles of Confederation were made by the thirteen States in the name of the States. The Constitution was made by the delegates of the people in the name of the people of the United States. The first was a compact or friendly agreement; the second was a contract or binding union.
One mark of good citizenship is the respect shown to emblems of authority. All good citizens rise to their feet and remain standing during the playing or singing of the National anthem. We ought to cultivate such habits until they become reflex: i. e. until we do them as a matter of course without being told by the teacher in school or by the leader of the choir or some other person.
Every school boy and girl ought to commit to memory the words of the Star Spangled Banner and of America. The teacher can make the singing of patriotic songs and the learning of patriotic poems and speeches a part of the opening exercises of the school. Poems and speeches learned in childhood will generally remain with us throughout life.
In colonial times in America there was nothing like universal manhood suffrage. One-half of all the colonies required church membership for a suffrage right. By about 1700 all colonies required ownership of property for voting. This was not entirely abolished until about 1850. The State of Rhode Island still requires property to the extent of $134 for voting in municipal elections.