Ben Franklin Albany Plan of Union

Join or Die

Open Ended

What do you see in this image? What do you think it means?

​The Albany Plan of Union

• ​This flag represents the 13 colonies (New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina)

• ​Created by Benjamin Franklin in 1754.

• ​Argued that the colonies needed to unite as one within the British Empire.

Multiple Choice

The Albany Plan of Union was created by . . . 

• Benjamin Franklin

• Thomas Jefferson

• George Washington

• Alexander Hamilton

Multiple Choice

The snake on the flag represents . . . 

• The 13 British Colonies in North America

• Parliament

• The King of England

• The King of France

Multiple Choice

The purpose of the Albany Plan of Union was to say the colonies should. . .

• Unite as one within the British Empire

• Fight all British resistance

• Form a separate country

• Change their economic status

• A

​Why Leave?

​In 1750, most British colonists were happy being part of the British Empire. Most colonists were proud to be British. Being part of the British Empire led to business success and military security. White colonists had many of the same political rights of English people. Some of these rights were free

speech and free press. White colonists also had a large degree of self-government, meaning they made their own decisions. White men could purchase property. Living in the colonies led to white men having a better chance at earning a good living than they would have had in a European country.

Open Ended

According to the passage, were most colonists happy or angry with the British Empire by 1750? Explain your answer with information from the text.

Open Ended

What is the difference between North America in 1700 and 1763? What does this image tell us about the outcome of the French and Indian War (1754-1763?)

​The War Begins

As the British colonies got more crowded, settlers wanted to expand the size of the colonies out west. In the 1750s, many British colonists began to move west of the Appalachian Mountains where French colonists and Native American tribes were living. The French and Native Americans felt like the British colonists were threatening them because they were moving onto their land. The British offered to buy the land, but the French and Native Americans refused. Following the French refusal to leave, the colonial governor of Virginia sent a group of British soldiers to set up a fort in French territory, even after the French said they couldn’t. When the fort was finished, the French attacked. They drove off the Virginian soldiers and built a larger fort on the site for themselves. They named the fort, Fort Duquesne. After the British sent in reinforcements led by George Washington, the French attacked and outnumbered the British until they surrendered. The French and Indian War had begun.​

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Open Ended

Why did British colonists move out west? Why were their actions viewed as an act of war?

​Join or Die

​Ben Franklin, who represented Pennsylvania, explained that he felt it would take all the colonies to defeat the French. He believed it was necessary for the colonies to be united. This was easier said than done. Each colony was used to solving their own problems. They had never worked together to deal with a common threat. Franklin presented a plan for unity which he called the Albany Plan of Union. His plan united all of the colonies under one government. To get support for his plan, he published a cartoon titled “Join, or die.”

Open Ended

Historical Context: What is the historical context of this image? Historical context tells us all the background information we need to know to understand this image. (Who created it? When? Why? What events led to it? What else was happening? Etc)