Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union at the Albany Congress in 1754.
The congress met in Albany, New York, as representatives of several British colonies considered common defense during the French and Indian War. Franklin, a Pennsylvania delegate, presented a plan for a unified colonial government. It called for a President-General appointed by the Crown and a Grand Council made up of colonial representatives.
The proposed union would have handled shared concerns such as treaty-making, defense, and taxation. Franklin also promoted the idea through his famous “Join, or Die” political cartoon, which depicted a divided snake as a warning about colonial disunity. The plan reflected both practical military concerns and Franklin's interest in intercolonial cooperation.
The Albany Plan was adopted by the congress but rejected by the colonial assemblies and the British Board of Trade. It therefore never became law. Historians often regard it as an important predecessor to later union proposals, including the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution. It should not be confused with the 1754 Albany Congress itself, which was the meeting where the plan was considered.